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A Call to Promote Interventions for Increased Diversity in Health Professions Programs—Beyond Trends

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: Diversification of the health care workforce to better reflect the general population represents an important strategy in achieving health equity, yet racially and ethnically minoritized students and practitioners remain underrepresented across the health professions.1 This persistent and welldocumented problem is restated with added nuance by Majerczyk and colleagues, 2 whose crosssectional study examines changes over time (2003-2019) in underrepresented minority (URM) and female applicants, matriculants, and degrees awarded for doctor of medicine (MD), doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO), doctor of dental surgery (DDS), doctor of dental medicine (DMD), and doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) programs.2 Despite noted gains for URM students within schools of dentistry, pharmacy, and osteopathic medicine, allopathic medical schools experienced declines.Across all programs, there were more Asian students but fewer male, American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students compared with the age-adjusted US Census data.Overall, the results "reveal that underrepresentation remains a widespread concern in health professions education," 2 and despite

Source: JAMA Network Open

DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.47852

Authors: Cristina M. Gonzalez, Elaine De Leon

Institution: New York University

Language: English

Topic: Diversity and Career in Medicine

Subfield: Gender Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,000