Rationale: The percentage of women among applicants and matriculants to U.S. MD-granting medical schools has declined in recent years. For decades, first-time and total applicants to U.S. MD-granting medical schools were predominantly men. The gender gap steadily narrowed by the early 2000s, and in 2003, 50.8% of all medical school applicants were women. Since then, gender trends have reversed: In 2010, women comprised 47.3% of medical school applicants-the lowest percentage since 2000 (Figures 1 and 2). Similarly, the percentage of female first-time applicants dropped from a high of 52.5% in 2003 to 48.5% in 2010. The gender gap in medical school matriculants has also widened (Figure 3). The percentage of female matriculants decreased from a high of 49.6% in 2003 to 46.9% in 2010. Medical schools continue to engage in holistic admission practices by seeking qualified applicants whose diversity will enhance medical education and improve U.S. health outcomes. The medical community, which acknowledges real historical disparities in women's access to medical education, should be alert to recent declines in the percentage of women among individuals who apply to, and are admitted to, medical school.
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