Female applicant and matriculant data for both osteopathic and allopathic medical schools are shown in the
Table and in
Figure 1. In the 2016-2017 academic year, 10,031 of 20,671 applicants (48.5%) (95% CI, 47.9%-49.2%) and 3201 of 6778 matriculants (45.9%) (95% CI, 44.7%-47.1%) in osteopathic medical schools were women.
5,6 Female applicants were significantly less likely to become matriculants than male applicants (30.9% vs 34.4%, respectively;
P<.001) in osteopathic medical schools that same year. For allopathic medical schools in the 2016-2017 academic year, 25,779 of 53,042 applicants (48.6%) (95% CI, 48.2%-49.0%) and 10,474 of 21,030 matriculants (49.8%) (95% CI, 49.1%-50.5%) were women.
7 Female applicants in allopathic medical schools were significantly more likely to become matriculants than were male applicants (40.6% vs 38.7%, respectively;
P<.001). When comparing the percentage of female matriculants at osteopathic medical schools with the percentage of female matriculants at allopathic medical schools, the difference was significant (45.9% vs 49.8%, respectively;
P<.001). But, the difference between the percentage of female applicants to osteopathic medical schools did not significantly differ from the percentage of female applicants to allopathic medical schools (48.5% vs 48.6%;
P=.834).
Data on first-year enrollment (the total number of first-year students, including repeating students) were available for all years since Baker's 1995 report.
1 Information regarding first-year female students is shown in the
Table and in
Figure 1. First-year female enrollment in osteopathic medical schools more than quadrupled from the 1994-1995 academic year to the 2016-2017 academic year (805 to 3490).
5 Of note, the number of accredited osteopathic medical schools, branch campuses, and additional locations expanded during this period, and existing schools increased their class sizes. Thus, the total number of first-year students increased from 2217 in the 1994-1995 academic year to 7575 in the 2016-2017 academic year.
5 In the 2004-2005 academic year, 50.1% of first-year students enrolled in osteopathic medical schools were women; however, by the 2013-2014 academic year, this percentage had fallen to 44.2%.
5 Since then, some gains have been made, and by the 2016-2017 academic year, 45.9% of first-year students enrolled in an osteopathic medical school were women.
5