Report Finds Steep Drop In The Enrollment Of Black and Brown Students In Medical Schools After Supreme Court Ruling

Enrollment of Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous students in U.S. medical schools declined significantly in 2024, the first full admissions cycle following the Supreme Court’s ban on race-conscious admissions. Data released by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) revealed that Black enrollment dropped 11.6%, Hispanic enrollment fell 10.8%, American Indian and Alaska Native enrollment plummeted 22.1%, and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander enrollment declined 4.3%. “The numbers validate concerns that the Court’s decision would lead to a less diverse medical workforce,” the AAMC noted.

Experts attributed the decline to the combination of the Supreme Court ruling and state-level moves to dismantle diversity initiatives. Norma Poll-Hunter, the AAMC’s senior director of equity, diversity, and inclusion, called it a “double whammy,” adding, “It’s critical for everyone to understand, this is not about racial preferences. This is about the nation’s health.” She emphasized that underrepresented doctors are more likely to serve marginalized and rural communities, including white populations in under-resourced areas.

Meanwhile, the number of white students remained stable, and Asian student enrollment rose by 8.4%. The percentage of students identifying as “other” or unknown also increased. AAMC officials noted that these drops erase hard-earned progress in recent years and return enrollment of Black and Hispanic students to pre-pandemic levels. Despite this setback, the AAMC remains committed to diversifying the medical workforce. “Evidence shows that a more varied workforce can improve access to health care and the health of our communities,” said AAMC President David Skorton.

Stanford professor Roxana Daneshjou added, “As someone who works with students from underrepresented backgrounds…they work incredibly hard and are dedicated to helping close health disparity gaps.” UCLA’s Utibe Essien echoed these concerns, stating, “The efforts to increase these numbers are really starting to dwindle… Things will get worse before they get better.”

Interestingly, applications from Black and Hispanic students actually increased, reflecting ongoing interest in medicine. Encouragingly, osteopathic medical schools saw growth in underrepresented student enrollment, with Black enrollment rising from 3.9% to 4.7% and Hispanic enrollment increasing from 7% to 9%. “We’re not giving up at all,” said Poll-Hunter.

Link: Axios