On the resurgent population and food debate.

PIP: During the 1980s, the European Union, the US, and Japan followed policies designed to limit the production of grain. In so doing, the production and stock of grain declined during the decade in developed countries. However, grain production increased in developing countries during the 1980s, causing the overall world supply of grain to grow faster than demand. International market prices for grain have been falling since the 1970s. Despite claims to the contrary, reputable studies of prospective food supply and demand indicate that there will be continued improvement in per capita food consumption, especially in the developing countries. It is highly unlikely that the factors which affect world food supply and demand can either stop the decline in real market prices for grain or result in more than a modest increase in world grain trade. While China may become a major grain importer, central and eastern Europe may become major net grain exporters who compete with traditional exporters. The likely future trend in real world grain prices is good news for urban consumers, but farmers in developing countries will have to continually adjust to the eroding prices of their product. The author discusses population and well-being since Malthus' first edition, the population growth rate as an unimportant factor in determining population well-being, negative population growth rates, recent world food developments, prospects for the future supply and demand of food, and implications for world trade.^ieng

A second survey of graduates of a traditionally black college of medicine.

To update and expand upon its 1975-76 survey of 729 graduates of seven classes, Howard University College of Medicine (HUCM) conducted a longer survey in 1985-86 of 1,985 graduates spanning 49 classes. Replies of the 728 respondents to the second survey confirm that HUCM's predominantly black alumni were continuing to provide patient care to a substantial number of poor blacks in urban areas. Fifty-six percent of all HUCM alumni were in primary care, compared with 46% of all alumni of U.S. medical schools who were in primary care. New findings included concerns about malpractice suits and physician impairment. Regarding physician supply in their own communities, 53% of respondents believed that there were too many physicians overall, but 63% believed there were too few black physicians. For the 1940-1969 graduates, loans financed 10% of their medical education, and indebtedness influenced the types of practice chosen by 4%; comparable figures for the 1970-1980 graduates were 25% and 11%.

Survey of graduates of a traditionally black college of medicine.

Over 700 Howard University medical alumni of seven representative classes graduating from 1955 to 1975 were surveyed by questionnaire in 1975-76. Replies of the 311 respondents confirm that this college of medicine has trained a substantial number of physicians who are providing care to blacks, the economically disadvantaged, and residents of inner city areas. Survey findings may also be useful in reaffirming the necessity for training more minority physicians, assessing the impact which the increasing number of minority physicians will have on health care delivery in this country, and suggesting the probable practice patterns of future minority graduates of U.S. medical schools.

Study of U.S. medical school applicants, 1975-76.

This annual descriptive study provides statistics on the demographic and background characteristics, academic ability, and career plans of applicants to the 1975--76 first-year class. Comparisons with the preceding year's applicant pool, traditionally the focus of the applicant study series, show a slight decline in the size of the pool, a continued increase in the number of women applicants and acceptees, and a slightly higher acceptance rate for all applicants. The study has been expanded by reinstating data on the socioeconomic background of applicants and by providing general summaries on topics such as career plan preferences of applicants. New to the series is an analysis of "in-phase" applicants, that is, undergraduate college seniors applying to medical school for the first time. The conclusion outlines those activities of the Association of American Medical Colleges over the past year that are related to the medical school admissions process.

Recruitment and progress of minority medical school entrants 1970-1972.

This is a report on a national study of minority group applicants and entrants to the 1970, 1971, and 1972 entering classes of U.S. medical colleges. The aim of the investigation was to further understanding of the factors involved in attempting to increase minority representation in education for the practice of medicine. Data from the Association of American Medical Colleges are used to examine characteristics of successful and unsuccessful minority applicants to medical school. Socieconomic, personal, institutiona, and geographical factors that relate to the recruitment and progress of minority students in medicine are analyzed and evaluated. Differences between Caucasian and minority group students affecting admissions, retention, and promotion are documented. The investigators also compare the projections of a 1970 AAMC task force report with actual occurrences in the national effort to expand educational opportunities in medicine for blacks and other underrepresented minority students (that is, American Indians, Mexican Americans, and mainland Puerto Ricans). This comparison shows substantial progress toward the projected figures but a need for renewed commitment if they are to be reached. Suggestions are offered for improving the recruitment and progress of minority medical school entrants by such means as the AAMC Simulated Minority Admissions Exercises and by ongoing programs at individual medical schools. The study also yielded such pertinent findings as the following: 1. Confirmation that the racial characterizations self-reported by medical school applicants have a high degree of accuracy and an increasing degree of completeness. 2. An encouraging increase in the number of black premedical students who will potentially apply for the medical school classes entering in 1976 and 1977. 3. Growth in the enrollment of low-income medical students, most of it explained by the increase in the numbers of minority group members who have been admitted in recent years. 4. More mobility among blacks than Caucasians with regard to attending medical schools in other than their region of legal residence. 5. A higher proportion of women, of older, and of married students among minority medical school matriculants than among Caucasian matriculants. 6. A slightly higher medical school retention rate for Caucasians than for students from underrepresented minority groups, possibly explained in part by the greater diversity in the socioeconomic and educational backgrounds of the latter. 7. A positive relationship for blacks between the size of undergraduate college attended and successful completion of the first year of medical school.