The Problem: Diversity in Medicine

Minority enrollments in U.S. medical schools reached their peak in 1975, when minorities represented 8.1 percent of the total student body. Since then, however, a leveling-off effect has dominated, and no significant increase in the number of underrepresented minorities entering medical school has occurred.

Many current trends point to the urgency and timeliness to reaffirm our commitment to the diversity affirmation; a perceived physician surplus in the face of an underrepresentation of minority physicians; the continuing physician maldistribution vis-à-vis minority and other underserved areas; the lack of opportunity for minorities in graduate medical programs; the under-representation of both minority medical students and faculty members in medical education; and the increasing cost of medical education to minorities and other low-income individuals. WWAMI urges that, in any deliberations regarding physician manpower, the recruitment and graduation of individuals from underrepresented minorities in medical education must be considered with particular care and as a top priority. The WWAMI Medical Education Program reaffirms its commitment to the diversity effort.

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