Highlights of the 1990 Education issue

Article Abstract:

This August 15, 1990 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association is dedicated to a review of medical education within the United States. During the school year 1989-1990 the number of students applying to American medical schools increased for the first time since 1985, and the number of freshman medical students enrolled in the country's medical schools totaled 16,975. Although the number of ''A'' students decreased, there has been no erosion in scores of these students on the Medical College Admission Test. The demographic make-up of medical student shows a continuing decline in white males and a concomitant increase in black and Asian woman. A faculty of 72,320 are engaged in educating a total student population of 65,081, which represents a continuing decline. Of the projected 15,433 students who will graduate during 1990, 48 percent have accepted residency in primary care specialties. A report of medical school finances shows an increase of 21.4 percent over 1987-1988 revenues. Medical school revenues are strongly dependent on medical service income (43.2 percent) of their associated hospitals and clinics, while only 5.1 percent of medical school revenues are derived from student tuition. Seventy-seven percent of the financial assistance provided to medical school students was in the form of loans. At graduation the average 1989 medical student had debts which averaged $42,374. About 29 percent of the students had debts in excess of $50,000, and more than 10 percent had debts over $75,000. In addition to these debts, approximately half of all medical school students also had debts remaining from undergraduate education. This substantial debt has a particularly strong, often adverse effect, on the financing of education for minority students. In addition to the undergraduate medical school student body, an additional 85,330 individuals are engaged in postgraduate (residency) medical education. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Economic aspects, Finance, Statistics, Medical schools, Graduate medical education

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Affirmative action and other special consideration admissions at the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine

Article Abstract:

The affirmative action program at the University of California-Davis School of Medicine did not result in less qualified candidates being admitted to the school. A review of all admissions at the school between 1968 and 1987 revealed that about half of the special consideration admissions overall were minority students compared to 19% of the regular admissions. Special consideration means the students were admitted even though their test scores and grade point averages were below the recommended minimum. Although these students were less likely to get an A on core courses and more likely to repeat the Board exams, they had similar job experiences after graduating and were rated just as highly as residents.

Evaluation, Affirmative action, Minority students

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Underrepresented Minorities in Medicine

Article Abstract:

Medical schools should do more to hire minority faculty, to promote them, and to nominate them to positions on admission committees. This in turn might encourage more minority students to apply to medical school.

College faculty, Medical school faculty, Educational discrimination, Discrimination in medical education

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