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The record number of applicants also means a record number of rejections. The medical schools have only 11,800 openings for more than 26,000 applicants—and at least half of this year's rejects were qualified to enter. Ironically, pockets of the country are faced with a serious doctor shortage, and U.S. hospitals are relying on a foreign "brain gain" to get by: non-Americans now hold about a fourth of the nation's internships and residencies.
All forecasts show a vast need for more trained people in the field of health. Dr. Roger Egeberg, former Assistant Secretary of HEW, estimates that the country needs 50,000 more doctors, 150,000 medical technicians and 200,000 more nurses. Some of the newer specialties are thoracic surgery, neurological surgery, physical and medical rehabilitation, and preventive medicine. One new field that bridges two disciplines is biomedical engineering, developing such devices as the pacemaker for the heart. Several programs have been devised to train "paramedics," physicians' assistants who can take over some of the doctors' more routine tasks. One of them is Mrs. Joan Carvajal, 29, of Greeley, Colo., who recently graduated from the University of Colorado medical school's new nurse-practitioner program. She does examinations and preliminary diagnoses for two pediatricians and makes hospital visits to instruct new mothers. "Nurses are asking for more responsibility," she says.
As in law, there seems to be a new altruistic spirit among the candidates for medical school. Admission committees, which used to be skeptical of would-be doctors who "pulled an Arrowsmith"—talked about their dedication to humanity—are now getting used to the phenomenon. Says Dr. David Tormey of the University of Vermont medical school: "The contrast between the senior class and the far more liberal freshman class is almost a generation gap within the student society itself." Many of the new students are interested in going into public health rather than into lucrative private practice.
Dr. Matthew Dumont of the Massachusetts department of mental health sees everywhere a "new face of professionalism" turned toward social change. "Physicians, lawyers, ministers, city planners, architects, educators, engineers are emerging from the universities," he says, "with the sophisticated and critical perspective on their roles in society that John Dewey saw as the true function of education. The remarkable thing is that at a time of overwhelming technical sophistication, expertise and hyperspecialization, professionals are discovering a common purpose—the well-being of people."
GOVERNMENT. This year the Civil service exam, covering everything from postal clerks to narcotics agents to explosive inspectors, was given to 112,000 students, or 65% more than last year. But only about 10,000 will be hired, roughly 2,500 more than in 1970. Many students would draw the line at working for the Defense Department or the Internal Revenue Service, but are eager to participate in educational-reform programs or get a start in the environmental sciences. Law enforcement and safety are two fields with good