number of applicants this year.

[jimjones]

Anyone hear from AACOMAS or any of the schools whether numbers are up or down this year?

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[sport]

I cannot remember the specifics, but I read some material from aacomas that estimated the number of aplicants to be down 7-12%, somewhere in the neighborhood of 7000 applicants (applying). I will have to look again but I am pretty sure these numbers are close. The numbers have been balling since '97, they project it from the numbers of people who sit the mcat--which has also been on the decline. If I am wrong about the numbers I will post the correct ones in tomorrow.

 

[BurgerEater]

Cool. I hope it is less. Looking forward to your reporting the numbers. Thanks for being a sport

 

[jimjones]

Wow, that was a bad pun burger eater. Does anyone know why numbers are going down?

 

[Amra]

The trend for applicants to medical school has been done for the last few years (1999-current). All years seem to be hovering around 10% lower.

More people have been entering other vocations. Remember, the last few years with the dot com explosion - alot of peeps went into business. That is Time/CNN's survey (one of them).

Personally, I am happy the numbers are down. Not because it increases my likelihood of acceptance - I feel confident about my application under any circumstances. Rather, to me, it says the peeps that are truly interested in medicine, rather than $$, are applying.

-A

 

[Dr JPH]

I echo Amra's statement.

Maybe this country is producing better doctors.

 

[jimjones]

Is there an echo.. echo.. ech

I think that is an interesting theory. It would be certainly better if people who are interested in medicine for the money go a'lookin elsewhere.

 

[pyoj]

i'm not sure what the numbers were last year when i applied...but i know it was on a downward trend since '96 or whenever it was.

but think of it this way, you will be competing with a more concentrated group of people. the people on the low end of the spectrum and those money/status hungry individuals have been weeded out and the people who take the MCAT's are still the TOP in their class and those who really want to be doctors.

if you think of it this way, you will be better prepared for how you approach your applications and when you interact with other students at the interviews.

wish you all the best.
~j
COMP '05

 

[sport]

I am back to add to my comments earlier...The numbers I was quoting are pretty close. Based on, "The 2000 Annual Statistical Report" (by AACOM), applications have been falling for most all health professional programs and is projected to fall again. For osteopathy the numbers are between 8-11%. They cite increased economical prosperity in other professions as one of the main reason for the drop off in applicants. However, it was shown that grade point averages and test scores continue to rise.

 

[sport]

I had a fire drill and to cut off early, but wanted to say that the report, as well as other information concerning financial projections and future income can be found at the AACOM web site.