A new study finds that in the next few years there will be a shortage of doctors in the U.S. and that's especially a concern in New Orleans with the post-Katrina doctor shortage.

WWL-TV

A white coat is presented to an incoming freshman at Tulane's medical school Monday.

But now, doctors are seeing a surge in medical students who want to come to New Orleans for an education.

With hundreds of proud family members and friends looking on, 178 young men and women entering their first year of medical school at Tulane got the first symbol of their future.

But this white coat ceremony will go down in history.  It's the largest medical school class since Tulane opened its doors in 1834.

"What we really hope is to get is to get a lot of these young people to come down and then want to stay in New Orleans and practice medicine here," says Dr. Marc Kahn,  Tulane Senior Associate  Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs.

 The class is nearly half men, half women, from 36 states, 91 universities, and a few foreign countries. And while some were warned in their home towns not to come to a city in recovery, they say that is exactly why they came.

"One of my close family friends is a fire chief back in Chicago, so he was here helping out during Katrina and he sort of couldn't understand (why I want to come here) and with the heat and humidity it's a lot different here than Chicago. But I said for a great education it's worth it!"  says first year medical student Carrie McIlwain of Chicago.  

Incoming first-year medical student Sean Kim of Baltimore added, "Why be a part of something that's established when you can be part of a great story here."

"Every year we see an increasing need for more and more physicians and it's great to see so many people from out of state want to come and rebuild the city," says Samita Das, first year Tulane medical student from Metairie.

"Just to help out, they saw the city coming back and they just want to be a part of it," adds Samy Abdelghani of New Orleans, also a first year Tulane medical student.

After the four years of medical school, Tulane usually has a third of its students stay in the state to do their residency training.