Educational programs in US medical schools, 1996-1997
B. Barzansky, H. S. Jonas and S. I. Etzel
Division of Undergraduate Medical Education, American Medical Association, Chicago, Ill 60610, USA. Barbara_Barzansky@ama-assn.org
We use data from the 1996-1997 Liaison Committee on Medical Education
Annual Medical School Questionnaire, which had a 100% response rate, to
describe medical education programs in the United States. In the 1996-1997
academic year, there were 95 568 full-time medical school faculty members,
a 4.5% increase from 1995-1996. In clinical departments, the largest
increases were in emergency medicine (a 29% increase from 1995-1996) and
family medicine (a 13% increase). Of all full-time faculty members in
clinical departments, 76.9% have an MD or DO as the highest degree, 4.5%
have both an MD and PhD, 13.9% have a PhD, and 4.7% have an academic or
professional bachelor's or master's degree as their final degree. The total
number of applicants for the class entering in 1996 was 46968 (0.8%
increase from 1995), while the number of first-time applicants decreased 1%
from 1995. First-year medical students who were members of underrepresented
minority groups numbered 2236, a 4% decrease from 1995. In 1996-1997, the
total number of medical students was 66712 (0.3% less than in 1995-1996).
For students graduating during the 1995-1996 academic year, 13% took longer
than 4 years to complete the program. There were 47 medical schools that
reported that 1 or more hospitals used for required clinical clerkships had
changed ownership, merged, or closed during 1996. Medical schools used an
average of 6 (range, 1-36) hospitals for core clinical clerkship.
Ninety-five schools required a passing grade on Step 1 of the US Medical
Licensing Examination (USMLE) for promotion or graduation; 54 schools
required a passing grade on Step 2 of the USMLE.
