Medical schools in the United States are on track for a 30 percent increase in enrollment by 2017, according to the Medical School Enrollment Survey conducted by the Association of American Medical Colleges Center for Workforce Studies.
First-year medical school enrollment is projected to reach 21,434 in 2017, according to the survey.
However, the new medical students could have no place to complete their training — 40 percent of medical school deans were majorly concerned the increase in medical students could outpace the growth of available residency positions, according to the survey.
"Increasing enrollments show that medical schools are doing their part to avert the shortage of more than 90,000 primary care and specialty doctors this nation faces by 2010. However, this will not result in a single new practicing physician unless Congress acts now to lift the cap on residency training positions," Darrell G. Kirch, MD, AAMC president and CEO, said in a news release.
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First-year medical school enrollment is projected to reach 21,434 in 2017, according to the survey.
However, the new medical students could have no place to complete their training — 40 percent of medical school deans were majorly concerned the increase in medical students could outpace the growth of available residency positions, according to the survey.
"Increasing enrollments show that medical schools are doing their part to avert the shortage of more than 90,000 primary care and specialty doctors this nation faces by 2010. However, this will not result in a single new practicing physician unless Congress acts now to lift the cap on residency training positions," Darrell G. Kirch, MD, AAMC president and CEO, said in a news release.
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