Medical Applications Down?

[chemnerd89]

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I came across this article today. It doesn't seem to jive with all this talk about "unprecedented" numbers of applicants.

 

[Law2Doc]

I came across this article today. It doesn't seem to jive with all this talk about "unprecedented" numbers of applicants.

It "jives" fine. Previously about 50% of applicants didn't get into med school. Now, with a few more seats and a few less applicants, 45% won't get into med school. Shouldn't really have much impact on quality.

 

[atl27]

It "jives" fine. Previously about 50% of applicants didn't get into med school. Now, with a few more seats and a few less applicants, 45% won't get into med school. Shouldn't really have much impact on quality.

The OP's point was that according to this article the number of applicants this year is not unprecedented, contrary to what is thrown around on this board. Your analysis about "impact on quality," while true, has nothing to do with the OP's assertion.

 

[Law2Doc]

The OP's point was that according to this article the number of applicants this year is not unprecedented, contrary to what is thrown around on this board. Your analysis about "impact on quality," while true, has nothing to do with the OP's assertion.

Yeah, I guess I didn't quite get his point. I'm not sure who said there were an unprecedented number of applicants, but certainly there is now an unprecedented number of matriculants. "Nationwide, first-year enrollment is now about 18,000, the highest in history.". This number is going to continue to increase over the next few years. Applications go up and down, and a couple percent change year to year isn't that unusual. A tightening of the job market in other fields (due to Wall Street) will lead to additional applications to graduate and professional schools a few years down the road (there is always a lag), so expect these to come roaring back up as smart people graduating college choose more education over a bearish job market.

 

[pjg]

the data were about current first year students, not this year's applicants. If you'll note in the article they predicted at applications would continue to increase through 2010. Obviously they don't know yet the number of applications for this year as they aren't all in yet.