To the Editor:
David Steele’s Might 13 article, “Will More Medical Schools Mean More Black Doctors?,” successfully illustrated the problem and the a lot wanted alternatives to draw extra black college students to medical colleges. The opening of two new medical colleges at traditionally Black establishments is a good step, however it would take a extra complete effort from the medical schooling neighborhood to actually meet our purpose of accelerating variety in our nation’s doctor workforce.
This can be a purpose that faculties of osteopathic medication (COMs) take very severely. In an necessary first step, final fall, each member of the American Affiliation of Faculties of Osteopathic Medication (AACOM) issued a primary of its type assertion that acknowledged that the systemic inequities of America’s schooling system are adversely impacting the variety of osteopathic medical college candidates. The assertion additionally outlines mannequin methods to enhance and assist variety, fairness and inclusion throughout osteopathic medical schooling, in addition to alternatives to reframe and increase variety, fairness and inclusion efforts. We actually hope our fellow well being professions schooling associations will observe swimsuit. As increased schooling establishments, we should all come collectively, because the osteopathic medical schooling neighborhood did, to deal with the systemic inequities plaguing our nation’s schooling system and hindering progress for all.
As Steele famous, nevertheless, it takes greater than new colleges to actually change the dynamic inside underrepresented minority communities. Towards this purpose, two weeks in the past, AACOM launched a brand new program devoted to supplementing instruction round well being fairness and well being disparities—the Educational Recognition Program. This system will initially be accessible to each third-year medical scholar (typically when medical college students start their full-time medical experiences) at each COM in the US. This system’s first course is particularly targeted on inequities and disparities. The next three programs improve the scholars’ skills to acknowledge and perceive circumstances that will contribute to inequities.
By higher making ready docs to apply in and with all communities, we hope to enhance affected person outcomes whereas additionally demonstrating the worth and rewards of serving the neighborhood and strengthening relationships and belief between sufferers and physicians.
By working with HBCUs, like Morgan State College and Xavier College, to open new medical colleges and by guaranteeing the physicians we prepare are ready to deal with sufferers in each neighborhood, we will create a extra inclusive medical schooling atmosphere that’s engaging to Black college students and college students from each underrepresented neighborhood. The nation’s schools of osteopathic medication are dedicated to rising medical scholar variety and guaranteeing medical schooling is accessible to all. We invite all increased instructional establishments to hitch us as we work collectively towards a more healthy, extra equitable future.
–Robert A. Cain
President & Chief Government Officer
American Affiliation of Faculties of Osteopathic Medication
