Trend: Med school applications up in '07

While nobody can point to a single specific reason, it appears that interest in attending U.S. medical schools went up a great deal this year. A new study published by the Association of American Medical Colleges, which looked at 126 medical schools, found that 42,315 students applied in 2007, up 8.2 percent from 2006. The schools admitted 17,759 students, up 2.3 percent from 2006.

While these numbers are interesting, even more noteworthy is the fact that the number of applications by black and Hispanic males increased by 9.2 percent 2007, with the number of black men accepted and enrolled in med schools this fall increasing by 5.3 percent. That's a stat worth examining, given that minorities account for only 6 percent of practicing U.S. physicians at the moment.

To find out more about these trends:
- read this Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report item

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