Why is diversity in medical school important?

[rollingstone27]

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Why is diversity promoted in medical schools? Why is it that medical schools prefer students with experiences related to interacting with those that are culturally different, such as volunteering in a clinic that serves uninsured patients that are predominantly Hispanic or international efforts in developing countries?



My understanding is that it serves to limit health and health care disparities. Can someone please help explain this or share peer-reviewed journal articles that they liked? Thanks.

 

[Frazier]

1. Training a diverse group of students to become competent physicians leads to a resultant group of competent physicians that is well-suited to accommodate a diverse selection of patient populations.

2. Med schools have enough applicants to do whatever the hell they want. That said, I'm sure things are slightly more interesting in the school community with a wide array of demographics/interests (in comparison to a class of all white upper/middle class bookworms).

 

[rollingstone27]

1. Training a diverse group of students to become competent physicians leads to a resultant group of competent physicians that is well-suited to accommodate a diverse selection of patient populations.

Where did you get this, any primary literature to support this? I'm interested in learning more about it.

 

[Frazier]

Where did you get this, any primary literature to support this? I'm interested in learning more about it.

Search the databases, although you would be wasting your time. There's not much to learn. It is intuitive.

If Tracy Dick, M.D. is a Rastafarian Jewish person himself, Dick will be well-suited to treat and relate to all of his Rastafarian Jewish patients... say, in opposition, to Dietrich Wienerschnitzel, M.D. that is a Samoan Hare Krishna.

Stepping back, both Dick and Wienerschnitzel might be naturally suited for different populations.

 

[HoltMD]

Why is diversity promoted in medical schools? Why is it that medical schools prefer students with experiences related to interacting with those that are culturally different, such as volunteering in a clinic that serves uninsured patients that are predominantly Hispanic or international efforts in developing countries?



My understanding is that it serves to limit health and health care disparities. Can someone please help explain this or share peer-reviewed journal articles that they liked? Thanks.

 

[Narmerguy]

We literally may need a separate forum for race/diversity and medical school admissions.

 

[tiedyeddog]

We literally may need a separate forum for race/diversity and medical school admissions.

That would be a terrific idea. However, I think it would eventually devolve into what the sociopotlitical subforum is....

Like ten select people shouting down everyone who tries to join in. 🙄