Florida Atlantic University is graduating its first class of physicians this spring, with plenty of new applicants lining up a potential boon for a state expecting a shortage of doctors.

About a quarter of Florida's physicians are over 65, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.

"With so many physicians retiring, Florida is going to be tough straits in having enough physicians to care for patients," said David Bjorkman, dean and executive director of medical affairs at FAU's Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. "If we graduate students from Florida, it's more likely they will become physicians in Florida."

This year, 4,370 prospective students applied for 64 positions at FAU's four-year-old medical school, a 35 percent increase from last year.

Applications for the second year of FAU's internal medicine residency program are up 22 percent, with 4,729 applications for 36 spots.

Most of FAU's first graduates are applying to do their residencies at FAU, officials said. That's important since where a physician practices a residency has a greater impact on whether they'll stay in an area than where they go to medical school, said Linda Quick, president of the South Florida Hospital and Healthcare Association.

Florida ranks 42nd of the 50 states in residence programs with 19 physicians-in-training per 100,000 population, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. By comparison, New York has 82 medical residents and Massachusetts 84 per 100,000 population.

The University of Miami recently announced it will partner with Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale to train 42 residents.

FAU started its internal residency program last year with Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Delray Medical Center and Bethesda Hospital East in Boynton Beach. It hopes to add more residency programs in the next few years, including general surgery, emergency medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and psychiatry.

In addition to its current hospitals, FAU also has agreements with West Boca Raton Regional and St. Mary's Hospital in West Palm Beach to develop future programs.

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FAU medical school sees 35% jump in applicants