Medical schools across the country are reporting a record number of applicants amid the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. According to Rafael Rivera, MD, MBA, associate dean for admissions and financial aid at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the school is on track to exceed its application total from a year ago. NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s application pool jumped from approximately 6,000 to nearly 9,000 after offering full-tuition scholarships to all current and future students in its MD degree program regardless of need or merit.

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) reported that, across the United States, the number of medical school applicants rose nearly 17 percent from a year earlier, which marks an interest not seen in more than a decade.

“Coronavirus has put a spotlight on health professions, prompting young people to apply to medical school earlier than they might have before,” say schools and admissions coaches.

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