| George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences | |
|---|---|
| Motto | Seek Truth and Pursue It Steadily |
| Established | 1824 |
| Type | Private |
| Endowment | US $1.507 billion [1] |
| Provost | Steven Lerman |
| Dean | Jeffrey S. Akman (acting) |
| Academic staff | 677 (Full-Time) |
| Students | 712 |
| Location | Washington, District of Columbia, USA |
| Campus | Urban |
| Website | www.gwumc.edu |
The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (GW Med for short) was established in 1824 due to the need for doctors in the District of Columbia (DC) but formally opened its doors a year later in 1825. It is the eleventh oldest medical school in the country and the first medical school established in the nation's capital. The school has more than 700 medical students currently enrolled in its Doctor of Medicine (MD) program.[2] Over the past few years, GW has seen a dramatic rise in the number of applications it receives. For the past six years, it has been the most applied to medical school in the country, receiving almost 14,000 applications (13,856 applications; a 3.2 percent increase from the previous year), per admission cycle.[3]
What was once a medical institution ravaged by various wars and battles gained prominence in 1981 when US President Ronald Reagan, shot at close range, was rushed to its ER and given the proper care and assistance. Politics aside, the George Washington University School of Medicine has always been at the forefront of technology for research and application. GW's innovations include the six-million volt linear accelerator, a radioisotope laboratory, and the first operating theaters with overheard observation decks, among others. Accepted students have the privilege of studying in one of the most historically significant schools, and have access to state-of-the-art facilities and equipment. Political figures, such as former Vice President Dick Cheney and former First Lady Laura Bush, also come to GW for routine and emergency procedures.[4]
Four out of every ten students holds an undergraduate degrees in the arts, humanities, or social sciences. A unique aspect of the school is the Practice of Medicine (POM) course that spans the entire length of a medical student's education. GW was one of the first in the country to place students in clinical settings from the start of their medical school experience.[5]
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Admission to the School of Medicine and Health Sciences is the most competitive of the George Washington University's graduate programs. The School of Medicine has the second-lowest admissions rate in the United States (2.9% during 2008 admission cycle) according to US News and World Report.[6] For the MD class entering in 2009, a little more than 1,000 applicants were interviewed out of a total number of 13,856 applicants. Approximately 300 individuals were accepted to fill 188 spots. Students had an average GPA of 3.69, and a mean MCAT score of 30.6 [7]
Tuition is $45,000 for the first year class while the total cost of attendance is roughly $70,000 a year. Despite high costs, GW also provides the most financial aid and merit based scholarships in the country.
The residency placements of GW medical students are very competitive against national standards (94% of students get their first choice residency). The most represented residency placements consistently include Johns Hopkins, Yale, Stanford, Harvard-affiliated Hospitals and the University of California hospitals. Many students choose to continue at the George Washington Hospital or work with the GW Medical Faculty Associates, DC's largest not-for-profit ambulatory care practice.[8]
GW is famous for providing leading US medical school education to international students. The International MD Program was developed by the Office of International Medicine Programs at GW in response to the great demand for US-educated physicians abroad. Differences in educational/teaching styles, language, and culture may present further obstacles to international students who apply to American programs. The International MD Program is designed to facilitate international students who wish to practice medicine, and to further GW's mission to improve the health and well-being of communities beyond its locale by promoting the exchange of knowledge across cultures.[9]
Residency training for graduates of non-US medical schools and colleges is also provided by the GW Medical Center.
In 2008 the medical school was put on probation by its accrediting institution citing a number of issues with the program, in particular its outdated system of managing its curriculum, high levels of student debt, and inadequate study and lounge space for its students. GW put up a plan to rectify these problems within two years and its probationary status was lifted in February 2010.[10]
The original location of the Medical School, established as a department of Columbian College in 1824, was at Judiciary Square. It then moved to the northeast corner of 10th & E streets NW and later in the 19th century, to the 1300 block of H Street NW. The Medical School moved in 1973 to its current location at Washington Circle in Foggy Bottom.
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Note: The years listed above refer to the years the individuals became the deans of the medical school, not their length of total service at the School
Other programs include include clinical laboratory sciences and administration training. The school also offers a nurse practitioner program and a physician assistant program.
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