Utilization of Nonaccepted Premedical Students

Abstract

To the Editor.— The, EDITORIALS, "The Medical Manpower Shortage" and "Americans in Foreign Medical Schools" ( 217 :1857, 1971), and the article, "Foreign Medical Schools" ( 217 :1845, 1971), reveal an unexploited medical manpower pool of 14,000 "nonaccepted" medical students, 53.85% of the 26,000 applicants in 1971. Many of these disappointed, better-than-average third- and fourth-year university and college students warrant a chance to earn the right to become a physician. The field of opportunity is on the civilian medical firing line of perimeter medicine. Young physician replacements for the older primary physician are practically non-existent in these areas of greatest need. Present efforts to produce doctors and allied health personnel for the innumerable areas in need of adjunctive community medical care services for the ambulatory type of patients are of token proportions. Primary medical care is the focal point for early diagnosis coupled with adequate treatment to provide the foundation for prevention