There are 146 medical schools in the United States-126 teach allopathic medicine and award a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree; 20 teach osteopathic medicine and award the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree. Acceptance to medical school is highly competitive.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US with around 584,881 deaths each year. Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. If the spread is not controlled, it can interfere with essential life-sustaining systems and result in death.
Of these premature deaths, about 36 percent are from cancer, 39 percent are from heart disease and stroke, and 24 percent are from lung disease (1). Smoking is the leading cause of premature, preventable death in this country.n the United States, exposure to secondhand smoke is thought to cause about 34,000 deaths from heart disease each year (1). Exposure to secondhand smoke also increases the risk of stroke by 20 to 30 percent (1). Pregnant women exposed to secondhand smoke are at risk of having a baby with low birth weight (2).