Low number of black males in med school causes concerns

Although the number of African American male college graduates has increased over the past 30 years, the number of African American male medical school applicants has hit a new low.

A new report entitled "Altering the Course: Black Males in Medicine," which was released at this week's National Medical Association's 112th National Convention, found that while 1,410 black males applied to medical schools across the nation in 1978, only 1,337 applied in 2014. The number of enrollees also decreased from 542 in 1978 to 515 in 2014.

The report found the cause of the trend may be lower participation rates by African American males in STEM fields. It also highlights a disproportionate number of black men in underperforming public schools that often have inadequate resources, which can lead to negative school experiences.

Healthcare educators at the NMA National Convention discussed strategies to increase the applicant pool and help more black males gain admittance.

"We have to redouble our efforts in the health professions to improve the talent pipeline of African American males in order to have a physician workforce that is representative of the population," said AAMC president and CEO Darrell G. Kirch.

The AAMC hopes its member institutions will utilize a holistic approach and consider applicants' non-academic qualities including personal characteristics and experiences.

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