The Association of American Medical Colleges has released new data on diversity among medical school applicants and enrollees.
The total number of students applying to medical school in 2024 decreased by 1.2 percent after a 4.7 percent drop in 2023 and an 11.6 percent drop in 2022.
In 2024, 5,824 Black students applied to medical school, an increase of 2.8 percent from 2023 when there were 5,665 Black applicants. Black students represented 11.2 percent of all medical school applicants in 2024, a small increase from their 10.8 percent share of 2023 applicants.
However, the share of Black students who matriculated to medical schools in the United States dropped from 2,304 in 2023 to 2,036 in 2024, a decrease of 11.6 percent. In 2024, Black students represented 8.8 percent of all medical school matriculants, a decrease from their 10.0 percent share in 2023, 10.2 percent share in 2022, and 11.3 percent share in 2021.
In 2024, there were 10,257 Black students at American medical schools, an increase of 1.5 percent from 2023. The overall share of Black medical school students has steadily increased since 2017, when there were 7,095 Black students enrolled at American medical schools.
