News
By Caroline Freeman
|
October 28, 2005
This fall, over 1,700 students -- the largest class on record -- began their first year at the nation's 125 accredited medical schools, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.
The AAMC said in a press release that this class size represents a 2.1 percent increase from the class that entered in 2004.
"For the last several years, enrollment has hovered at around 1,600, so this is the first time it broke 1,700," AAMC Public Relations Director Retha Sherrod said.
In addition to the increase in class size, the AAMC also said medical schools experienced a 4.6 percent increase in the number of applications they received from 35,735 last year to 37,364.
Mirroring this national trend, the University's Medical School has seen a slight increase in its class size as well as in its number of applicants, Medical School Admissions Director Beth Bailey said.
Sherrod said the AAMC was concerned earlier this year that there could be a potential future shortage in the nation's number of physicians, due in part to a high number of "baby boom" physicians who will retire soon.