To the Editor:

First, congratulations on a much improved Newsletter! Not only is it more attractive and readable, but more importantly it is informative and relevant to the concerns of members.

The report by Dr. Alex Kaplan on “Membership Growth Trends” was excellent as it relates to financial planning, but I have concern that his data might be misinterpreted as they relate to the vitality of psychoanalytic education. Dr. Kaplan finds it encouraging that in 1981 there were 1,090 candidates enrolled in institutes, as compared to the 1965 enrollment of 1,047. On the contrary, I find this quite discouraging. During this same period of time, the number of graduating medical students increased from 7,409 to 15, 908 , and the percentage of medical students entering psychiatry dropped from the 10 to 12 percent range to as low as 3.8 percent in 1980 and 4.3 percent in 1981.

In other words, the number of graduating medical students doubled, while the percent going into psychiatry fell precipitously. This means a sharply reduced pool of potential psychoanalysts. The full impact of these facts has yet to be felt by the institutes. Of particular concern to me is the likelihood that there will be increasingly strong pressure to lower standards in order to maintain adequate numbers of candidates. Of the many problems facing contemporary psychoanalysis, this may be our most important concern for the future.

Sherwyn M. Woods, M.D., Ph.D.

Los Angeles