You never give up. By the way you also need to get a non-smoking avatar if you want to be a physician.
This comment really makes it hard for me to even argue with you on any adult level whatsoever. You mine as well get a non-Skynet, T-800, human killing machine avatar, because you are a physician and robots murder resistance leaders??? Ugh.
From 24.98 in 2000 to 26.12 in 2008 is an average increase of 0.13 per year. Since 2008 there have been multiple new schools and enrollment expansions which will apply braking pressure on the numbers. My bet for 2009 is 26.2 and for 2010 26.3.
Why don't you place your bet here right now and in a few months we can see who was a better trend analyst?
A few points ...
i. I have never been a fan of DO averages for a few reasons:
a. Huge expansion of newer schools (which generally have a few classes of lower numbers, and in a sample with only 28ish numbers, 2-3 new schools with lower numbers can make a difference).
b. Some of the older, more established schools just don't put a huge emphasis on numbers. You can say whatever you will about it, or claim that this point is weak, but PCOM is only at a 26 or something. You can't tell me that they couldn't bump their numbers up to 28-30 if they really wanted to? This is different from the allopathic world, and creates more awkward confusion.
c. There seems (in my book) to be a three-tiered DO school system with regards to numbers:
1. Some form of you is older than Flexner or were established soon after (KCOM, PCOM, etc). These schools have amazing match lists, get 3.5k primaries every year, and can select nicely, but still don't have the super high averages. They may not put a huge emphasis on numbers, whatever. However, again, this is a trend and not a rule. DMU has 3.7/27+ 2012 avg.
2. Schools that are oldish, but not too old and seem to put more of an emphasis on numbers. My guess would be that they see this as a better way to establish themselves in the game, whereas KCOM, PCOM, guys don't have to as much. Schools like Western (which probably boasts the highest numbers and has notoriously turned down people with 30+ MCAT) or NOVA (which when I interviewed, they supposedly were not looking at anyone under a 27 and everyone in our interview group claimed to be over this number).
3. Newer schools, branch campuses, et al. Numbers bounce all over the place here. LECOM-B claimed their avg MCAT was a 28, but I know others can't say the same, and are probably generally on the lower end of the spectrum.
... now, in my OPINION, factoring these tiers and complications together paints quite a more complex picture than simply comparing numbers to allopathic schools. Call it a cop out, say it's a moot point, whatever, but it creates variance.
ii. The first point leads me into this point ... schools should be judged on a case by case basis because of my theory. If we are simply talking about GPA/MCAT averages, there are schools that are really high, and quite comparable to average allo numbers (UMDNJ, Western, DMU, etc), there are also those that are quite low. However, if you look at the mid-tier, allopathic schools or the AAMC stated average, schools clock in around 3.5-3.6 and 30-31. I applied to several allopathic schools, and can't count the times I saw 'our averages are on par with AAMC averages' or MCAT scores that added up to 30. Just like the DO world, there are outliers ... such as Harvard or UCSF with 35 average MCAT, but in a sea of 130 something schools, 2-5 higher ones are going to make a lot less difference than 2-5 lower ones in the DO world of 28. This means that the MD averages are much closer to the truer values of any given school, whereas the DO averages tend not to be, and leads me to believe that schools should be judged on a case by case basis. Cherry picking? Maybe, but I outlined above why I think it is a more accurate representation.
Now, I could go on forever about how schools with low MCAT still have students kick ass on USMLE step I, comparable MD matchlists, etc, but I won't because that isn't the point we are debating. I can say from my n = 1 example that I applied with a 30 ++ MCAT and met many others along the interview trail in the same situation. I'm also not going to make a bet with the numbers, but I stick by my assumptions originally stated and my above points can be referenced for any clarification. I can't express how tired I am of these seemingly pointless tirades from you ex ... I never see the point, nor do I ever see up to date data, or any of the 'help and advice' you claim to spread whenever someone calls you out on how absolutely worthless your tantrums are. I'm stating right now that you can feel free to respond to this message and break it down with more sh/itty, old, broad data, or claim your superiority as an attending, but I will not respond. I really hope you will either see what little effect you are having in general and either a. actually try to help or b. you get banned for the constant trolling. Either way, this is our goodbye.