|
|
College of Medicine entering class is largest ever |
| By
Jim Winkler |
|
Sep 4, 2008
|
|
The 2008 UT College of Medicine entering class is the largest in the school’s history, according to Dr. James Kleshinski, associate professor of medicine and associate dean for admissions.
 |
| Dr. Ronald A. McGinnis, College of Medicine associate dean for clinical affairs and UT Medical Center medical director, welcomed first-year medical student Abhilash Felix during the recent white-coat ceremony. |
The number of first-year enrollees totals 176, a 7 percent increase over 2007. More than 3,400 individuals applied to enter medical school in 2008, an increase of approximately 20 percent over 2006.
Ohio’s growing aging population, coupled with an aging physician population, trends such as doctors working fewer hours and fewer years, and shortages in various specialties and subspecialties add up to more doctors needed now and in the future.
The Association of American Medical Colleges publicly has called for expanded enrollment in U.S. medical schools to head off an anticipated physician storage.
Northwest Ohio is experiencing a shortage, with approximately 200 physicians per 100,000 people.
Northwest Ohio has approximately 80 physicians per hospital compared to Ohio’s average of 170 per hospital and the U.S. average of 151 per hospital, according to statistics compiled by Dr. Jeffrey P. Gold, Health Science Campus provost, executive vice president for health affairs and College of Medicine dean, from information from the Ohio Department of Development, the Ohio Hospital Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Kleshinski said the decision to increase class size was made after consulting with faculty members and receiving approval from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the college’s national accrediting body.
And he is delighted that UT continues to attract some of the nation’s best and brightest students.
The class is comprised of 67 percent Ohio residents and 44 percent women. In addition, the class includes 15 students from groups underrepresented in medicine.
One student has earned a doctorate degree, 37 have master's degrees, with the remainder entering medical school after earning an undergraduate degree. The mean age is 22 years old with class members ranging from 20 to 36 years old.
The undergraduate grade point average for the class of 2012 is 3.6 overall and 3.5 in the sciences. Average scores on the Medical College Admission Test for the class are 10 in the biological sciences, 10 in physical sciences and 10 in verbal skills.
A total of 74 undergraduate institutions in 17 states are represented in the entering class. Ohio State University is the most heavily represented with 21 students, followed by Miami University with 19, the universities of Michigan and Toledo with 12 each, and Case Western Reserve University with nine.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
