Review of US medical school finances, 1998-1999.

Based on data from the Annual Medical School Questionnaire of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, to which 100% of the 125 accredited allopathic US medical schools responded, we found that revenue supporting programs and activities of the 125 accredited medical schools in the United States totaled $39,761 million in 1998-1999. Three sources accounted for 79.3% of total revenues: practice plans ($13,724 million; 34.5%), grants and contracts ($11, 982 million; 30.1%), and hospital support ($5814 million; 14.6%). In the aggregate, total revenues increased by 7.4% between 1997-1998 and 1998-1999, a consequence at least in part due to a 2.9% increase in the number of full-time faculty. The largest increase in dollar amount came from grants and contracts ($1101 million; 10.2% increase). Revenue increases were not evenly distributed across the schools. Increases of 10% or more in key revenue sources-practice plans and hospital support-were reported by approximately one fourth of all schools. Another one fourth reported decreases in these same sources. JAMA. 2000;284:1127-1129

Review of US medical school finances, 1997-1998.

Based on data from the Annual Medical School Questionnaire of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), to which 100% of schools responded, we found that revenue supporting programs and activities of the 125 accredited medical schools in the United States totaled $36997 million in 1997-1998. A large proportion of revenue (79%) was derived from 3 sources: practice plans ($12559 million; 33.9%), grants and contracts ($10916 million; 29.5%), and hospital support ($5741 million; 15.5%). An analysis of revenue trends revealed that medical schools, in aggregate, have continued to experience growth during the last 2 years. However, the aggregate numbers mask considerable variation among schools with regard to changes in financing. Between 1995-1996 and 1996-1997, 46 schools (37%) reported constant-dollar declines in the sum of practice plan and hospital revenue, and 50 schools (40%) reported a decline from 1996-1997 to 1997-1998. The financial data reviewed in this report demonstrate the continued dependence of medical schools on faculty-generated sources of revenue and confirm the perception that a growing number of medical schools are experiencing reductions in key sources of financial support. Current and projected reductions in teaching hospital revenue due to the implementation of the Balanced Budget Amendment are expected to erode further hospital support for medical school programs and activities.

Review of US medical school finances, 1996-1997.

Based on data from the Annual Medical School Questionnaire of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, to which 100% of schools responded, the revenues that supported the programs and activities of the 125 accredited medical schools in the United States totaled $34897 million in 1996-1997. A large proportion (78.9%) of these revenues was derived from 3 sources: practice plans, grants and contracts, and hospital support. Both public and private medical schools, in aggregate, have continued to experience growth throughout the last decade but at a progressively slower rate, primarily because of a slowing in the growth of practice plan revenues. Federal revenues supporting research in public and private medical schools since 1992-1993 have grown at annualized, constant-dollar rates of 5.6% and 4%, respectively. Growth in state and local appropriations to public medical schools has tended to lag behind inflation. Growth in reported revenues from endowments that are used to support programs at private medical schools is on the rise. The aggregate numbers mask considerable variation among schools with regard to changes in financing. A small, but appreciable, number of schools have witnessed a constant-dollar decline in their total practice plan revenues since 1992-1993. The financial data reviewed in this report demonstrate the continued dependence of medical schools on faculty-generated sources of revenue and confirm the perception that medical schools, as a group, are experiencing constraints on the growth of their enterprises.