The Wayne State University School of Medicine continues to be a national leader in providing physicians in key areas, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The AAMC’s 1997 Institutional Goals Ranking Report for the nation’s medical schools, which was released in June, reflects that WSU ranks second of the country’s 125 medical schools in the number of 1997 graduates planning to practice in-state, and fifth in the nation for graduates entering primary care specialties. In addition, WSU ranked seventh in the nation for the number of underrepresented minority medical graduates for the period 1993-97.
WSU also ranked high in the number of its graduates who are faculty, another measure of success of a medical school’s academic program.
"The report substantiates what we know to be true. The reporting of the figures reinforces that we are on course with our mission and that we continue to provide physicians in the areas they are most needed," said Robert Sokol, MD, dean of the School of Medicine.
The AAMC rankings provide a comparison to assess an institution’s achievement in certain areas. These areas, which are viewed as important goals for many medical schools, include the production of primary care physicians, the recruitment of underrepresented minorities into the medical profession, production of practicing physicians in the state or region, and production of academic physicians.
WSU ranked second with the number of 1997 graduates planning to practice in state; according to the AAMC, 132 Wayne State students planned to remain in Michigan after residency training.
WSU ranked fifth in the country for graduates entering generalist fields for the years 1991, 1992 and 1993. Generalists fields, previously reported by the AAMC as primary care fields, encompass family practice, general pediatrics and general internal medicine. During those years, a total of 224 medical students entered and completed residency training in a generalist specialty.
Additionally, WSU ranked seventh in the country for the number of underrepresented minority medical graduates between the years 1993-97, matriculating 164 underrepresented minorities, defined by the AAMC as being American Indian/Alaska Native, African American, Mexican American and Mainland Puerto Rican. Wayne State has been first among majority (non-minority) medical schools in the nation in graduating African-American physicians.
Finally, WSU ranked 14th in the country for its number of graduates who are faculty members. Between 1983 and 1992, 212 alumni achieved faculty positions in the country’s medical schools.