For the third straight year, student enrollment at UNMC reached an all-time high with 3,124 students enrolled for the 2007-08 school year – an increase of 1.9 percent over last year’s previous record total of 3,067.
The biggest increase occurred in the Graduate College where enrollment climbed by 54 students from 590 to 644, a 9.2 percent increase. Most of this increase was seen in master’s level nursing students, said Rubens Pamies, M.D., vice chancellor for academic affairs and dean of graduate studies.
The enrollment increase sends a strong message that UNMC is continuing its trajectory toward becoming a world-class academic health science center, Dr. Pamies said.
“People want to go where they see more activity,” he said. “When students come to UNMC, they see the new Sorrell Center and research tower taking shape. They hear about exciting changes in the curriculum, and there’s always plenty of opportunity for them to do research. Plus, Omaha is a thriving city with lots of things to do. It’s easy to see why students want to come here.”
Dr. Pamies said UNMC is taking on higher profile around the world. “We have international programs that allow students to study abroad,” he said. “In addition, UNMC continues to receive national and international media attention, and this truly makes a difference in elevating our stature with prospective students.”
College of Dentistry
The College of Dentistry brought in 45 first-year dental students as well as 24 new dental hygiene students. The new enrollees bring total enrollment in the college to 266, which includes 35 graduate and post graduate students.
For nine of the past 13 years, the first-year dental students at the UNMC College of Dentistry have ranked number one with the highest grade point average (GPA) among all dental schools. That tradition could well continue this year, said Dean John Reinhardt, D.D.S., as this year’s GPA for entering students is 3.83.
He noted that 940 applicants applied for the 45 slots in this year’s dental class, and that the 26 women (58 percent) in the first-year dental class represent an all-time high. The dental hygiene class had a 3.57 GPA and includes four students at the Panhandle Health Center in Gering, Neb. “It’s interesting to note that two of these four dental hygiene students are men,” Dr. Reinhardt said, “and normally, most of our hygiene students are women.”
College of Medicine
The 126 students in the College of Medicine’s class of first-year students brings total enrollment in the college to 487. The first-year students were selected from a total of 1,370 applications, the most applications received by the medical school since 1995, said John Gollan, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the College of Medicine.
“It’s an outstanding class of students with an overall grade point average of 3.73,” Dr. Gollan said. “The 3.73 GPA represents the highest GPA for entering students since we started tracking this in 1994. We’re excited to welcome this quality group of students to our campus.”
College of Nursing
Admission to the college is highly competitive with 758 applicants for 310 slots this year across the college’s four divisions in Omaha, Lincoln, Kearney, and Scottsbluff – an admission rate of 41 percent of qualified applicants. The incoming students’ GPA is 3.51. The Accelerated Baccalaureate in Nursing program has graduated three classes with a 97 percent first-time pass rate on the National Licensing Board. There are a total of 689 students enrolled this fall.
“We mirror the trend that is evident elsewhere in the country – more students are knocking on the door to a nursing career,” said Virginia Tilden, D.N.Sc., dean of the UNMC College of Nursing.
College of Pharmacy
There were 238 applicants to the college this year, with 65 students being accepted into the doctor of pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree program, said Clarence Ueda, Pharm.D., Ph.D., dean of the College of Pharmacy.
Among the new students, 94 percent (61 students) are Nebraska residents, 62 percent (40 students) are female and four are minority students. The average cumulative GPA of the incoming class is 3.75. There are a total of 259 students enrolled in the college.
College of Public Health
Enrollment in the Master of Public Health program (MPH) is 75 students, a nearly 30 percent increase from the 58 students enrolled in 2006-07. The MPH program began in 2002 and is a joint program between UNMC and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Over the five-year life of the program, 148 students have enrolled including students from Nebraska as well as out-of-state and international students, said Jay Noren, M.D., dean of the College of Public Health.
Dr. Noren said this year’s applicant pool had the following characteristics: mean GPA 3.46, 85 percent females, 15 percent males, 26 percent minority, and an average of 3.5 years of previous work experience.
School of Allied Health Professions
The School of Allied Health Professions (SAHP) offers 10 educational programs that prepare graduates for careers as cytotechnologists, clinical laboratory scientists, clinical perfusionists, diagnostic medical sonographers, medical nutritionists, nuclear medicine technologists, physician assistants, physical therapists, radiographers, and radiation therapists.
This year there were 610 applicants to the SAHP programs, and five of the 10 educational programs saw increases in applications from last year, said Kyle Meyer, Ph.D., associate dean of the SAHP.
The programs in medical nutrition, physical therapy, and clinical laboratory science experienced the greatest increases of 35 percent, 18 percent, and 14.5 percent, respectively. A total of 171 applicants were accepted into the 10 programs, including 144 (84 percent) Nebraskans. Seventy-nine percent (135) of the new matriculants are female and 21 percent (36) are male. The average GPA of the entering students in six of the 10 programs is 3.5 or above. Total enrollment for the School of Allied Health Professions is 356 students.