Schools of the health professions are committed to educating and training a workforce which will more closely mirror our US population in terms of race and ethnicity. Currently there are several groups which remain underrepresented in some professions, including medicine. There are four minority groups that are defined as “underrepresented” in the field of medicine. They are Black/African American, Native American (American Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian), Mexican American and mainland Puerto Rican. These four groups were designated as underrepresented over 20 years ago by the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC). Increasing the number of physicians from these underrepresented groups has been a priority of medical schools for many years. In 1991, the AAMC officially launched Project 3000 by 2000 intended to increase the number of minority students to 3,000 by the year 2000. In response to this commitment medical schools have instituted programs and resources specifically designed to assist in the recruitment and enrollment of minority students. Many medical schools employ a minority affairs officer who can assist and support underrepresented students throughout the application process. A list of these individuals can be found in the Medical School Admissions Requirement Guide produced by the AAMC.

List of Resources

• AspiringDocs – an AAMC Campaign to Increase Diversity in Medicine
• Minorities in Medicine - This website is the official Minorities in Medicine section of the AAMC.
• Indian Health Service Health Professions Scholarship Program
• Lanzate Scholarship: Can help with Interview Travel Cost
• National Medical Fellowships