US medical schools enrolled the largest and most diverse class in history in 2021

[hqadv]

Medical School Enrollment More Diverse in 2021

The AAMC released its annual applicant and enrollment data for the 2021-22 academic year.

www.aamc.org

Do you think the pandemic made it possible for more URMs to apply, now that everything has gone virtual? Or maybe because the pandemic has inspired more URM to apply due to covid hitting minorities at a disproportionate rate. Or other factors? What does everyone think?

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[star-lily]

It's a shame that this doesn't include socioeconomic diversity (looking at the matriculant questionnaires for 2021 vs 2020 vs 2019).

 

[PersianMeow]

Although some there is some improvement it's not reflective of the US's demographic as a whole. Its skewed into two distinct populations. If it was proportional then I'd say they'd have something to boast about. I bet if we were to get granular detail it would tell a more grim story.

 

[NegativeMargin]

Do you think the pandemic made it possible for more URMs to apply, now that everything has gone virtual?

Can't really speak to causation, but we can see the data here:

https://www.aamc.org/media/57761/download?attachment

I tend to agree with most of the sentiments from this thread:

Applications are down this year (2021-2022)

I was curious if applications skyrocketed again this year like they did last year, so I did some internet sleuthing using the way back machine. I looked at the number of applications at this point in the cycle at Vanderbilt and Michigan in previous years. Based on the wayback machine, both...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Personally I'm stoked to see more representation for folks like me, and I do think virtual interviews as well as changes to FAP all working together have certainly helped those who were already planning to apply have an easier time.

 

[deleted1004199]

It's a shame that this doesn't include socioeconomic diversity (looking at the matriculant questionnaires for 2021 vs 2020 vs 2019).

I was really curious about this too so I looked into it and found this chart from the AAMC. There was a 1% increase in applicants with EO1/EO2 status and a small increase in matriculants, similar to the previous cycle.

This is my first cycle but from what I've learned I don't know if schools (at least a lot of the ones I applied to) care as much about socioeconomic diversity.

 

[hqadv]

It would be interesting to see the percentage of URMs that are EO1 too.

 

[jstwannagraduaaate!!!]

Although some there is some improvement it's not reflective of the US's demographic as a whole. Its skewed into two distinct populations. If it was proportional then I'd say they'd have something to boast about. I bet if we were to get granular detail it would tell a more grim story.

Id say medicine is doing a better job/more diverse than the nfl, nba, pga tour, business world, law, and the engineering world in terms of diversity.
Edit: in terms of size, thats cool but it just makes competition more fierce, and expanding residency spots will oversaturate the field.

 

[Goro]

Id say medicine is doing a better job/more diverse than the nfl, nba, pga tour, business world, law, and the engineering world in terms of diversity.
Edit: in terms of size, thats cool but it just makes competition more fierce, and expanding residency spots will oversaturate the field.

I don't see evidence of residency expanding at the rate med schools are.

 

[peaceloveandmedicine]

Id say medicine is doing a better job/more diverse than the nfl, nba, pga tour, business world, law, and the engineering world in terms of diversity.
Edit: in terms of size, thats cool but it just makes competition more fierce, and expanding residency spots will oversaturate the field.

I don’t know how you oversaturate a field that’s experiencing a shortage. Med schools are expanding to meet a shortage. Residencies have to catch up. We’re a long ways from over saturation at least in primary care that is

 

[Browns99]

Although some there is some improvement it's not reflective of the US's demographic as a whole. Its skewed into two distinct populations. If it was proportional then I'd say they'd have something to boast about. I bet if we were to get granular detail it would tell a more grim story.

Grim in what way?

 

[jstwannagraduaaate!!!]

I don’t know how you oversaturate a field that’s experiencing a shortage. Med schools are expanding to meet a shortage. Residencies have to catch up. We’re a long ways from over saturation at least in primary care that is

There's not a shortage, there's an allocation issue. Not many people want to put in 10+ years post grad to live in rural america. The "physician shortage" is a ploy used by insurance companies and law makers from a certain political party that likes to give nps full practice rights, the ability to pay physicians less due to over saturation. Several fields like ortho, derm, pain are already over saturated. Also look at what happened to pharmacists, same will happen to physicians if we expand residencies.

 

[peaceloveandmedicine]

There's not a shortage, there's an allocation issue. Not many people want to put in 10+ years post grad to live in rural america. The "physician shortage" is a ploy used by insurance companies and law makers from a certain political party that likes to give nps full practice rights, the ability to pay physicians less due to over saturation. Several fields like ortho, derm, pain are already over saturated. Also look at what happened to pharmacists, same will happen to physicians if we expand residencies.

Let’s focus on primary care for a minute: if it were an allocation issue we’d see masses of PCPs without work. You’ve obviously never been to these areas where people have to drive 50 miles to see the 2 PCPs that service a whole county on their own. Your gripe with NPs and PAs is a separate issue. Those people are also vital to servicing communities in need because people like you don’t want to move to rural America. Let’s not minimize the needs of others

 

[jstwannagraduaaate!!!]

Let’s focus on primary care for a minute: if it were an allocation issue we’d see masses of PCPs without work. You’ve obviously never been to these areas where people have to drive 50 miles to see the 2 PCPs that service a whole county on their own. Your gripe with NPs and PAs is a separate issue. Those people are also vital to servicing communities in need because people like you don’t want to move to rural America. Let’s not minimize the needs of others

Again, there's not a pcp shortage, go to the city and find out. People don't want to spend all those years in school to work in undesirable areas, just look at the numbers. The only way you fix this is pay more $$$$$$$$, which won't happen

 

[chilly_md]

NPs and PAs are like most people and don’t want to practice in rural areas. And I remember a discussion about how EM is getting over saturated.

 

[PersianMeow]

Grim in what way?

To start it's not representative of the population.

 

[Browns99]

To start it's not representative of the population.

So you think the word grim is appropriate vs let's see why that is and how can we make some structural change that benefits everyone? At the end of the day, everyone is afforded the same opportunity to enter into medicine whether you are black, white, asian, etc. Sure, those that come from poor economic backgrounds have a much harder time and struggle at times, but nonetheless, they work hard and manage to become doctors! I hail from a poor economic background and know plenty of people of color that have become doctors and the same from those who came from very depressed backgrounds. BTW, white applicants from poor backgrounds have the same struggles too and the last time I checked, there is no "extra" points on the application for a certain skin color.

Everyone wants to say how bad the system is, yet no one wants to get to the root cause or they simply want to blame it on the reoccurring theme of; "racism" or "white supremacy."

I think everyone recognizes that there are obvious obstacles that URMs and low economic candidates may face, but their chances can be improved by improving the education system (So many poor communities have dismal graduation rates), seeking out mentors to help encourage those at a young age to consider medicine, seeking out funding sources (public & private) to offer scholarships and make med school affordable or at least "doable", continue to recognize and promote students of color and challenge them to succeed, and the list can go on.

No more excuses or feel good about yourself by saying things are "grim", go out and make a change, otherwise, you are being as hypocritical as most politicians ( liberal/conservative).