Although an annual survey of American medical schools conducted by the Association of American Medical Colleges indicates that first-year national medical school enrollments will increase 17 percent by 2012, Washington University’s School of Medicine does not currently have the capacity to expand its enrollment.

Members of Meninak have long advocated “lending help where none is available,” especially to the youth in the community, and Monday they heard from another advocate who has helped children in his career as a pediatric surgeon and beyond.

U.S. medical schools continue to expand their enrollment to meet the country’s increasing demand for physicians, according to new data released by the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges). First-year enrollment at the nation’s medical schools this year increased nearly 2 percent over 2007, to more than 18,000 students the highest enrollment in history.

Medical school admissions fell nationally for the first time since 2002. Despite this trend, Florida medical schools have continued to see an increase in applications.