Resources

Of the many careers in medicine to choose from, none offers greater possibility than orthopaedics. As our population grows increasingly diverse, today's opportunities are especially relevant to women and minority candidates.

Troubled by the scarcity of women and minority medical students choosing orthopaedics as a career, Dr. Tolo called for leadership among academic members, more role models for women students, and greater visibility in early years so that both women and minorities receive an understanding and appreciation of orthopaedics as a career.

By the year 2000, almost 50 million people in the U.S. will be ethnically diverse. Immigration contributes to the growing diversity of the U.S. In 1940, 70% of immigrants were from Europe. By 1992, the pool of immigrants had changed so that 15% came from Europe, 37% came from Asia and 44% came from Latin America and the Caribbean. The U.S. attracts two thirds of the world's immigration and 85% of American immigrants come from Central and South America. Generalist physicians can expect more than 40% of their patients to be from minority cultures.

The Sullivan Commission is named for Dr. Louis Sullivan, former secretary of Health and Human Services and chair of the commission. The nationlly-recognized panel recently issued 37 recommendations to improve diversity in the healthcare workforce. AMSA was present at the release of the findings and has enthusiastically endorsed this report as a roadmap to increased diversity in medicine.

Minorities entered medical schools in record numbers in the early 1990s, but recent court decisions have called into question using race as an admission criterion. With minority enrollment down in the last several years, diversity advocates question the quality of care minority patients will receive in the future.