FIU medical school to admit 120 of 6,200 applicants

The Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine received over 6,200 applications for the 2022-2023 admission cycle, from which 120 are expected to be enrolled.

From 2018 to 2022, the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine had a 38% growth in number of applications. The average growth for Florida schools is 13% and national average is 17%, said Ileana Varela, director of media and community relations at the college.

For the class that starts medical school in July, the school received over 6,236 applications, she said. FIU has capacity for 120 students each year for a maximum of 480 students enrolled.

This number is set by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the accrediting body for medical schools in the US and Canada. The LCME determines maximum enrollment based on factors that include educational facilities, faculty capacity, clinical facilities, and student services, among other factors.

In April 27, FIU announced a comprehensive alliance with Baptist Health South Florida to expand medical residency programs, to provide training for nurses, medical technicians, and to increase the school’s clinical-based research as it complements the hospital’s healthcare offering. All details of this partnership are to be finalized this summer, both FIU and Baptist Health announced.

“The Baptist alliance was announced months after the application deadline for this class,” said Ms. Varela. “We will have to wait to assess the new admissions cycle that’s just starting.”

The medical school application process is about 14 months long, she explained. The Wertheim College is already in the admissions cycle for next year’s incoming class, class of 2028. “We will receive applications from June 2023 through January 2024, which is the deadline for applications. The Class of 2028 will matriculate in July 2024.”

Founded in 2006, the medical school has an average acceptance rate of 1.82%, according to College Tuition Compare. Doctor of Medicine program tuition and fees amount to $38,695 for Florida residents and $70,195 for non-residents for the 2022-2023 academic year, aside from living expenses and other costs.

The current number of medical students enrolled is 512, of whom 227 are men and 285 are women.