EDUCATIONAL-PROGRAMS IN US MEDICAL-SCHOOLS, 1996-1997

We use data from the 1996-1997 Liaison Committee on Medical Education Annual Medical School Questionnaire, which had a 100% response rate, t o describe medical education programs in the United States. In the 199 6-1997 academic year, there were 95 568 full-time medical school facul ty members, a 4.5% increase from 1995-1996. In clinical departments, t he largest increases were in emergency medicine (a 29% increase from 1 995-1996) and family medicine (a 13% increase). Of all full-time facul ty members in clinical departments, 76.9% have an MD or DO as the high est degree, 4.5% have both an MD and PhD, 13.9% have a PhD, and 4.7% h ave an academic or professional bachelor's or master's degree as their final degree. The total number of applicants for the class entering i n 1996 was 46 968 (0.8% increase from 1995), while the number of first -time applicants decreased 1% from 1995. First-year medical students w ho were members of underrepresented minority groups numbered 2236, a 4 % decrease from 1995. In 1996-1997, the total number of medical studen ts was 66 712 (0.3% less than in 1995-1996). For students graduating d uring the 1995-1996 academic year, 13% took longer than 4 years to com plete the program. There were 47 medical schools that reported that 1 or more hospitals used for required clinical clerkships had changed ow nership, merged, or closed during 1996. Medical schools used an averag e of 6 (range, 1-36) hospitals for core clinical clerkship. Ninety-fiv e schools required a passing grade on Step 1 of the US Medical Licensi ng Examination (USMLE) for promotion or graduation; 54 schools require d a passing grade on Step 2 of the USMLE.