Promising Programs in Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health and Health Care Addressing... researched and compiled by Sarah McCloskey, Erin Kennedy, and Michele Sloan December 2004 and updated March 2008
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California | Maryland | Minnesota | Washington | National Programs
Background
According to 2000 census data, minority groups make up about 25 percent of
the population in the U.S., however, they are an underrepresented workforce in
the health field. For example, about 74 percent of physicians and surgeons are
non-Hispanic white, while only 4.5 percent are African American. This uneven
distribution is also seen in other fields of health care, such as in nursing, where
only 3.3 percent of RN’s are Hispanic, and in medical management, where
Hispanics represent only 6 percent of the workforce.* In addition, minority
physicians tend to reside in federally designated shortage areas and are three
times more likely to see minority patients and accept Medicaid. A 2006 review
of evidence concerning the rationale for diversity in the health profession
concluded that a more diverse workforce may lead to improved public health of
minority populations because of greater access to care and more interpersonal
and culturally competent care. This promotes higher satisfaction, greater
adherence to treatment, and better care outcomes for minority patients. The
workforce should be representative of the population, and one of the ways to
ensure this happens is to encourage minority students to pursue careers in the
sciences and increase the number of minority students enrolled in medical
schools.
*Adapted from: Minorities in Medical Education: Facts & Figures 2005. Washington, D.C.: Association of American Medical Colleges, 2005
State Programs
State programs focus on increasing diversity in the workplace, especially in the
fields of science and medicine. States have come to realize that a diverse
workforce leads to decreased racial and ethnic differences in health care, not
only with diverse physicians, but also nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and
physician assistants. Programs targeting minority students have been
developed to encourage them to pursue careers in allied health fields. This
includes increasing medical school admissions for minority students,
specialized training in various languages for employees, and high school
programs geared at encouraging students to pursue careers in the sciences.
CaliforniaIncreasing Culturally Competent Workforce Capacity – California instituted a law allowing Mexican- and Caribbean-licensed physicians and dentists to practice without additional licensing in communities that are medically underserved. The law has helped create the Licensed Physicians and Dentists from Mexico pilot program, which authorizes a three-year, non-renewable license to those doctors.
MarylandMinority Health Careers Academy – This program was created by the
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and is supported by
Coppin State College and the Department of Social Services. It targets
Baltimore City public-school students. The goal of the project is to get innercity
minority students interested in allied-health-profession careers. Students
are introduced to various health-related fields to increase their motivation and
awareness in pursuing these avenues. Source: ASTHO, NACCHO, and HRSA. www.astho.org/docs/accesscompendium/6062.pdf 
MinnesotaThe state of Minnesota has passed legislation in order to recruit professionals in underserved communities, specifically those that lack sufficient medical coverage. The Duluth School of Medicine has a federal grant to help recruit minority students and increase their awareness of careers in medicine. This program also operates an area health-education center designed to show the importance of supporting underserved areas.* www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/stats/137/42.html and www.caimh.org
*A State Policy Agenda to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. June 2004, The Commonwealth Fund.
WashingtonHealth Occupations Preparatory Experience (HOPE) – The State of Washington created HOPE to allow minority and rural students the opportunity to experience working in a healthcare field. The State Department of Health funds a student internship program to create a greater interest among a diverse group of high school and community college students. The program is designed to introduce these students to the variety of healthcare positions they may be unaware of, through first-hand shadowing, mentoring, and clinical rotations. www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/ocrh/R&R/HOPE1.htm
National ProgramsThe Health Professions and Education Partnerships Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-392) – This give the HRSA the authorization to promote specific diversity programs which seek to support programs of excellence in health professions education for under-represented minority individuals. Some of these programs which support diversity in the health field include:
Health Careers Opportunity Program – This program recruits students from disadvantaged backgrounds gives them the opportunity to pursue a career in health care. Through grants to specific health education institutions and organizations, this program creates a competitive pool of applicants and gives disadvantaged students the opportunity to take advantage of mentors and counseling, as well as give them access to community-based primary health care.
Centers of Excellence – These grants given to medical professions schools to enable these institutions to educate a larger minority group. Enrollment of minorities in these institutions in significantly higher than in other institutions throughout the country. bhpr.hrsa.gov/diversity
Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) and Health Education Training Centers – AHECs were created by Congress in 1971 in order to recruit and train medical professionals who would serve underserved populations. AHEC later formed HETC in order to address problems within specific populations. Today, AHEC and HETC are present in almost every state and have a goal of correcting inequities not only within access and quality of care but also in the under representation of minorities in the workforce. AHEC in different states have come up with a variety of initiatives in order to increase the diversity in the medical workforce. www.nationalahec.org/home
Texas AHEC has begun its first Health Workforce Diversity Conference Series in February 2007, which will be held in different cities throughout the state. The goal of this conference series is to change the dynamics of the health care workforce in Texas through addressing the opportunities that minorities have to pursue a career in health care and how to assist prospective students in gaining the education they need. www.hwdc.org
AHEC-NW Arkansas in 2006 supported a summer program aimed at supporting minority students in health care careers. This program took 15 minority students to different health care facilities and training institutions around the state in order to familiarize them with the health care system and practices as well as give them the opportunity to meet with people in medical educational institutions to learn of the opportunities available to them. www.nationalahec.org/About/Highlights-SuccessStories.asp#Arkansas
For more information, contact Eric Jacobson (302-831-1711).
photo on this page courtesy of the Administration on Aging
