抖M女仆 Medical School Applications Soar to More than 6,000 for 66 Spots
Facing intense competition, members of this year鈥檚 incoming class of 抖M女仆鈥檚 were selected among more than 6,000 applicants nationwide. The medical school received 6,032 applications for 66 spots, up 61 percent from last year. This upward trajectory in medical school applications is a national trend, which indicates that aspiring physicians were not deterred by the stress of COVID-19 and they are eager to do their part.
鈥淎ccording to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the United States will need about 133,000 more doctors by 2033,鈥 said , M.D., interim dean and senior associate dean for medical education, 抖M女仆 Schmidt College of Medicine. 鈥淭his boom in medical school interest nationally and especially for our medical school is happening at a critical time in Florida鈥檚 and our nation鈥檚 history. We couldn鈥檛 be more proud of the perseverance and enthusiasm from the talented members of our class of 2025.鈥
On Friday, the medical school鈥檚 class of 2025 received their first doctor鈥檚 white coat during the White Coat Ceremony. This time-honored event is celebrated at medical schools around the nation and symbolizes entry into the medical profession as medical students are cloaked with their first doctor鈥檚 white coat. For more than a century, the聽white coat聽has been the symbol of the medical聽doctor.聽
The 66 members of the class were selected from a diverse and highly accomplished group of applicants. Twenty-four percent represent racial and ethnic populations underrepresented in medicine, which will help to advance the medical school鈥檚 mission to enhance diversity in the physician workforce. This year, as part of the medical school rankings, the Schmidt College of Medicine was ranked No. 24 in the nation in the 鈥淢ost Diverse Medical Schools鈥 category by U.S. News & World Report, which is based on the percentage of underrepresented minority students.
Fifty-two percent of the class of 2025 is female; 48 percent is male. Seventy-three percent of the class members are from Florida and 27 percent are from out-of-state. Eleven members of the class received their bachelor鈥檚 or master鈥檚 degrees from 抖M女仆.
This year鈥檚 keynote speaker was Allison H. Ferris, M.D., an associate professor of medicine in the Schmidt College of Medicine who serves as program director for 抖M女仆鈥檚 internal medicine residency program.
鈥淭he pandemic placed us in a constant state of uncertainty that required us to utilize never-before-seen methods to recruit students and to teach medicine. However, it highlighted a major strength of our medical school, our community of learners and our educators,鈥 said , M.D., senior associate dean for student affairs and 抖M女仆. 鈥淪tudents, staff, and faculty stepped up to help the 抖M女仆 team deliver a unique and successful first-time ever virtual recruitment season. One silver lining of this pandemic is the reminder of the noble nature of medicine as we all witnessed the sacrifices made by the front-line workforce. It is revitalizing to see how this inspired so many to pursue medicine and has increased the level of passion and enthusiasm in the applicant pool this year. We cannot wait to see what the class of 2025 will bring to the Schmidt College of Medicine and what they will accomplish as future physicians serving our diverse communities.鈥
Most of the major colleges in Florida are represented in the class of 2025 in addition to Boston University; Duke University; Johns Hopkins University; New York University; Northwestern University; University of Michigan 鈥 Ann Arbor; Vanderbilt University; and the University of Southern California.
Although most of the class members majored in traditional pre-med subjects, the class also is comprised of students with humanities and social science degrees, in keeping with the college鈥檚 recognition in 2020 by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top medical schools in the country for liberal arts majors.
The medical school鈥檚 White Coats-4-Care fundraising program for scholarship and student support set an all-time record this year raising nearly $600,000. Bonnie and Jon Kaye chaired the event for the 11th consecutive year. In addition, the college established the Robert A. Wood 抖M女仆 Medical Scholars Fund supported through the generosity of Ann and John Wood, which will support 10 medical students through all four years of medical school. Through a leadership gift from Nancy Flinn, the medical school also established an Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Scholarship fund this year. The Schmidt College of Medicine receives many other gifts annually ranging from $100 to $2,500 to support incoming students鈥 first white coats, scholarships and medical school programs.
Through the leadership of Michael T.B. Dennis, M.D., chair of the medical school鈥檚 advisory board, each new medical student received their first stethoscope, generously donated by the Palm Beach County Medical Society. The stethoscope, a vital tool for conducting physical examinations, is one of the most enduring symbols of the medical profession.
The was founded in 1993 by the . The Foundation concluded that the beginning of a student鈥檚 journey into medicine is the best time to influence standards of professionalism, humanistic values and behavior.
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