The Association of American Medical Colleges recently released data on applicants and first-time enrollments at U.S. medical schools for 2012. The number of Black applicants and Black first-time enrollees reach all-time highs.
In 2012, the were 3,824 Black applicants to U.S. medical schools. They made up 8.4 percent of the applicant pool. Since 2005, the number of Black applicants to medical schools has increased nearly 21 percent. During the same period, the number of White applicants to U.S. medical schools increased by 13.7 percent.
In 2012, there were 1,416 Black first-time enrollees in U.S. medical schools. Blacks made up 7.3 percent of all entering first-time students. The number of Black entering students has increased by 14.2 percent since 2005. For Whites, first-time enrollments have increased by 9.1 percent since 2005.
While I think these numbers are great and are moving in the right direction; I would be be eager to see what are the graduation numbers from these (and all) medical schools. After all it goes back to the biblical proverb; (paraphrasing) its not how you start the race, but how you finish it…
Because, while progress is measureable; progress devoid of an end achievement/result is empty.