So giving special consideration to minority students with lower examination scores does not appear to affect the quality of new physicians.ĭiversifying the medical workforce has other advantages. 2, 6 And most importantly, no differences have been found in the time taken to complete residency training after graduation, the evaluations of performance, or the number choosing primary care disciplines.
Although the dropout rate is slightly higher, most minority students get through the course without difficulty. But other studies put these data into perspective.
This compared with only a few failing in other ethnic groups. The Center for Equal Opportunity's study showed that about a quarter of black students admitted to 6 American medical schools failed the first 2 steps of the medical licensing examination at first attempt. Of course, the admissions process must ensure that the physicians who qualify can provide the highest quality of care for the country. 5 Therefore, the provision of minority physicians also promotes equality of access to health care providers. Other studies have shown that minority physicians are more likely to care for the underserved and for sicker patients than their white counterparts. 4 Patients were more likely to access preventive health care and to feel satisfied with the care they received. A recent study showed that quality of care was improved significantly when black and Hispanic physicians cared for black and Hispanic patients. Many minority groups distrust the medical profession, 3 and providing minority physicians can increase their trust. But in recruiting minority students, medical schools are showing a commitment to justice and to serving the community. There is no doubt that affirmative action constitutes reverse discrimination in the admissions process. The US Supreme Court has ruled that quotas based on race or ethnicity are illegal. 1 It is not surprising that medical schools deny this. A recent report by the Center for Equal Opportunity, a private nonprofit think tank based in Washington, DC, found that black and Hispanic students are being admitted to American medical schools with substantially lower college grades and test scores than white or Asian students. Affirmative action is a reality in US medical schools.
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