Physician Valerie Montgomery Rice is president and dean of Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta and member of the Council of Deans of the Association of American Medical Colleges.
In this piece, she examines the dearth of black men in medical school.
Credit: Maureen Downey
Credit: Maureen Downey
In 2014, of the 40,000 applicants to U.S medical schools, only 8.8 percent – or 3,537 – were black. Of those 3,537 black applicants, only 37.8 percent – or 1,337 – were men. The nearly 2-to-1 gender gap between black female and male applicants was the largest gender disparity of any racial group.
The MCAT exam is but one piece of quantitative data that should be considered in assessing a student’s ability to be successful in medicine. Undergraduate grade-point average is another. However, qualitative markers that help measure perseverance, persistence, and a commitment to serve others are also critically important in assessing an applicant’s ability to bring value to a team of health care providers. And those characteristics, coupled with quantitative measures, should be assessed through a very systematic and holistic interview process.
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