The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) released a report this week during the National Medical Association’s annual conference on the drop in black males applying to and matriculating in medical schools over the past three decades, despite efforts across the country to expand diversity in the physician pipeline.
“Altering the Course: Black Males in Medicine” gathers the perspectives of 11 black premedical students, physicians, researchers and leaders through interviews that explore possible factors for the decline. The report also highlights research and data from various sources to build the narrative to understand these trends and find broad-based solutions to alter them for black men.
Mark Nivet, EdD, AAMC’s chief diversity officer states, “This report aims to be a clarion call to leaders across the education continuum, from kindergarten through professional school, to rise to the challenge of increasing the number of black males in medicine and to recognize the opportunity we have to alter the course for black males by collectively redoubling our efforts and partnering in new ways.”
With the predicted physician shortage of between 46,000 and 90,000 physicians by the year 2025, and the changing demographics of the patient population, it’s even more critical to provide greater access to care for a more diverse patient population.
The AMA Minority Affairs Section’s (MAS) Doctors Back to School program is one way that physicians and medical students can encourage youth to consider careers in medicine. You can contact the AMA-MAS via email for additional information and to request supplies and suggestions for your school visits. Last year AMA-MAS members reached more than 10,000 students across 17 states through this program.
