Since the late 1960’s US medical schools have greatly increased their efforts toward recruitment of minority students. Many of the programs which have been initiated are discussed in Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR).
The purpose of such programs is to increase the number of students entering medical school from minorities that are underrepresented in the medical profession. “Underrepresented in medicine means those racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession relative to their numbers in the general population.”
The AAMC has recognized (in the past) four groups. This includes African Americans, Native Americans, Mexican Americans, and Mainland Puerto Ricans. This definition is ‘evolving’ into the consideration of applicants from a socio-economically deprived background.
Some of the programs offered specifically for minority students include summer programs at many medical schools. Some are designed to strengthen the academic background in the sciences, provide career information and an introduction to health care for students at the undergraduate level. Other summer programs are designed to provide additional basic science instruction for minority students accepted to enter medical school.
Minority students contemplating careers in medicine may obtain additional information on financial assistance, special programs for minorities and other timely information through the Student National Medical Association.
Another resource for financial assistance for underrepresented minority students is provided by National Medical Fellowships, a private philanthropy founded in 1946 which awards several hundred scholarships, awards and provides service-learning programs. Additional resources can be found below.
- National Medical Fellowship
- Student National Medical Association
- Peach State LSAMP
- AAMC’s Minorities in Medicine
- AAMC’s Medical Minority Applicant Registry (MED-MAR)
- Latino Medical Student Association
- Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP)
- AAMC’s Diversity and Inclusion
- AAMC’s Diversity Data Snapshots
- Office of Minority Health
- Vietnamese American Medical Association
- Association of American Indian Physicians
- Indian Health Services
- Medical Minority Applicant Registry
- Mentoring in Medicine
- Sister-to-Sister Mentoring Program, Association of Black Women Physicians
- CDC Undergraduate Public Health Scholars and RISE Fellowship
- University of Michigan Future Public Health Leaders Program
- PriMES Mentorship Program
- Black Men in White Coats Documentary
The University of Georgia hosts a chapter of the Minority Science Student Association.
