05 Dec Diversity Standards Linked to More Female, Black and Hispanic Students in Medical Schools

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Dr. Boatright

Dr. Dowin H. Boatright, MD
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
Yale School of Medicine

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? 

Response: This observational study looked at changes in student makeup by sex, race and ethnicity at U.S. medical schools after an accrediting organization introduced diversity standards in 2009.

An analysis of data from 120 medical schools suggests implementation of the diversity standards were associated with increasing percentages of female, black students, and Hispanic students.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report? 

Response: Accreditation standards may be an effective policy lever to increase diversity in the physician workforce. Nevertheless, while study results are promising, women, black, and Hispanic physicians remain underrepresented in the physician workforce.  

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work?

Response: Future studies should evaluate changes in student demographics at individual medical schools. Institutions that have proven to be successful in recruiting diverse medical school classes could serve as a model for other schools looking to improve medical student diversity.

No dislosures

Citation:

Boatright DH, Samuels EA, Cramer L, et al. Association Between the Liaison Committee on Medical Education’s Diversity Standards and Changes in Percentage of Medical Student Sex, Race, and Ethnicity. JAMA.2018;320(21):2267–2269. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.13705

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Last Updated on December 5, 2018 by Marie Benz MD FAAD