Description

It is well documented that barriers exist for underrepresented minorities to enter the field of medicine and even more competitive residencies. As defined by the NRMP, competitive specialties include but are not limited to Interventional Radiology, Orthopedic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Radiation Oncology, Vascular Surgery, Neurosurgery, Dermatology, and Otornylogy (NRMP-AMA). A large number of osteopathic medical school graduates have a history of going into primary care specialties because many osteopathic medical schools have a primary care focus (Primary Care- Osteopathic Medicine). The emphasis on primary care, whether intentional or not, can foster a less-than-advantageous environment for underrepresented minority students (URM), pursuing interests in competitive specialties. Furthermore, additional barriers exist for osteopathic medical students to enter these competitive specialties. This Literature review seeks to evaluate the current standings of URM osteopathic medical students in these specialties while providing recommendations to increase representation in these fields.

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Accessibility | Clinical Trials | Community Health and Preventive Medicine | Epidemiology | Gender Equity in Education | Health and Medical Administration | Health and Physical Education | Health Services Research | Interprofessional Education | Medical Education | Medical Sciences | Medicine and Health Sciences | Nursing | Primary Care | Scholarship of Teaching and Learning | Social Justice | Teacher Education and Professional Development

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The Current State of Underrepresented Osteopathic Minorities in Competitive Specialties

It is well documented that barriers exist for underrepresented minorities to enter the field of medicine and even more competitive residencies. As defined by the NRMP, competitive specialties include but are not limited to Interventional Radiology, Orthopedic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Radiation Oncology, Vascular Surgery, Neurosurgery, Dermatology, and Otornylogy (NRMP-AMA). A large number of osteopathic medical school graduates have a history of going into primary care specialties because many osteopathic medical schools have a primary care focus (Primary Care- Osteopathic Medicine). The emphasis on primary care, whether intentional or not, can foster a less-than-advantageous environment for underrepresented minority students (URM), pursuing interests in competitive specialties. Furthermore, additional barriers exist for osteopathic medical students to enter these competitive specialties. This Literature review seeks to evaluate the current standings of URM osteopathic medical students in these specialties while providing recommendations to increase representation in these fields.