trend in med schools

[lazgirl24]

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i was looking at the stats on the AAMC, and i realized that medical schools are getting more and more competitive each year. Is this because there are more ppl applying? This really kills my self confidence. By the time i apply in 2007, do you think it will be more competitive?🙁

 

[LapisLazuli]

actually, the # of applicants has been going down since '96. you're right, though, there have been slight increases in matriculant gpa's & mcat scores.

http://www.medicalgold.com/premed/mcatgraph2.html

 

[Ginza]

The number of applicants tends to rise over a several year period and then fall (again over several years.) I had heard that last year (class of 2006) had an all-time low number of applicants - probably due in part to the problems with AMCAS that year.

Anyway.....on a few of my interviews this year, adcoms people have said that they expect the number of applicants to start on the upswing now. The economy also plays a role. When the economy is bad (like it is right now), more people apply to graduate and professional school. Bottom line, it looks like the # of applicants is going to increase again over the next few years. But you never know, it's just a prediction.

 

[Gleevec]

I feel as if there is a 2 year delay between the economy sucking and people swarming med schools, because it takes about that long for an average student to fulfill requirements.

So this cycle will possibly be the last year of "lower admissions" even though there is likely to be a slight increase from previous years. And if Bush gets reelected, there will be tons of applicants for years to come.

Just my 0.02

 

[Lux Aeterna]

Originally posted by Gleevec
And if Bush gets reelected, there will be tons of applicants for years to come.

 

[lazgirl24]

I hope not. i want to go to med school!!

 

[mamadoc]

lazgirl, why are you starting out with such a defeatist attitude? On this thread and the other one you started about the easiest schools to get into, you sound like you could really use a confidence boost.

Yes, it's hard to do the work involved in getting into medical school. But people do it every year. There ARE people getting the As in freshman chem - they're not necessarily the brightest people in the class but they're certainly the hardest workers. It really can be done but you have to be determined, and you will have to work hard even if you are usually a "lazgirl."

If you're really not sure you'll be able to hack the pre-med track when you start college, I'd suggest that you go a little easy on yourself in your first semester. You don't HAVE to start out with the pre-med classes; another approach would be to get acclimated to college with other coursework, get used to the independent work habits you have to practice, and then get into the tougher courses.

But please start thinking positive, okay?