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Introduction
Affirmation action plays a crucial role in medicine and should be fostered. According to the Legal Information Institute (n.d.)., affirmation action is a collection of processes aimed at eliminating illegal discrimination among candidates, rectifying the consequences of such earlier prejudice, and avoiding future discriminatory actions. Ly et al. (2022) argue that state affirmative action restrictions were related to significant decreases in the students number from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups enrolled in U.S. public medical schools. Heath (2022) emphasizes that, as a result, these limitations obstruct industry attempts to develop a diverse medical workforce capable of supporting health justice and patient-centered healthcare. Hence, affirmative action might be a critical component of the long-term endeavor to create a diversified medical workforce, which begins with training a broad population of aspiring doctors.
The Significance of Diversity
Notably, diversity and inclusion play crucial roles in enabling the well-being of society. Thorp (2022) acknowledge that as science tries to eliminate institutional racism in the workplace and throughout academia in the United States, external factors demonstrate pressure, making fairness on all fronts, including among scientists, even more challenging. Failure to engage a diversified undergraduate population has already kept exceptional students out of science, and eliminating affirmative action would exacerbate the problem (Thorp, 2022). Affirmative action bans, such as the one implemented by California in 1996, have disastrously impacted the diversity of the medical student population and professional pipeline (Heath, 2022). Arnold (2021) asserts that because racial inequities are rooted in American culture and medicine, more evidence-based research on the impacts and consequences of affirmative action is required. Thus, residency training institutions should also look for strategies to attract medical students from minorities and develop successful mentoring and coaching.
Affirmative action discussions frequently elicit intense emotions, and their implementation creates a considerable number of vociferous detractors. Nonetheless, Arnold (2021) argues that the idea that student body diversity is crucial to the Supreme Courts rationale for affirmative action. Students are frequently undereducated regarding race and have few interracial encounters with coworkers leading to a shortage of diversity (Arnold, 2021). Dermatology is a competitive area of expertise due to the financial incentives and the quality of life it offers for the physician. Ethical considerations propose that the proportions of physicians in such competitive and financially rewarding disciplines of medicine should reflect the demographics of the general US population (Arnold, 2021). Heath (2022) agrees that affirmative action may assist in ensuring historically marginalized groups, such as people of color or women, get admission to medical schools. A diverse physician workforce has improved results and patient satisfaction (Heath, 2022). Additionally, the diversity of the physician team results in better treatment for patients of ethnic minorities.
Affirmation Action and Culturally Competent Healthcare Professionals
Racial and ethnic diversity in student bodies is critical for medical schools to fulfill their academic goal of decreasing racial and ethnic health inequalities. Mickey-Pabello and Garces (2018) note that some students of color may perceive that their abilities and qualities are undervalued in an affirmative action environment and, as a consequence, may favor a color-blind environment where the policy is prohibited. Affirmative action opponents have developed this argument, claiming that affirmation action programs may discourage minority students from feeling accepted at such institutions (Mickey-Pabello & Garces, 2018). Nonetheless, at medical schools, racial diversity in the student body is integrally linked to resolving racial and ethnic health disparities. A culturally and ethnically diverse student body generates better-prepared professionals.
Students from minority communities add views and perceptions to their encounters as apprentices, influencing others in their field. Thomas and Dockter (2019) claim that this effect continues to impact their later training and practice. Diversity-friendly institutions are welcoming and supportive environments where all students and teachers may prosper. Student body diversification has been linked to improved academic achievement, engagement, collaboration, and receptivity to new perspectives and thoughts (Thomas & Dockter, 2019). Franks et al. (2021) state that affirmative action measures and pipeline programs in the health professions have been shown to be effective techniques for expanding the number of Black, Indigenous, and students of color in medicine. The contribution of affirmative action to diversity in the medical workforce fosters organizational cultural competency (Franks, 2021). Thus, culturally competent clinicians can significantly improve healthcare delivery for Black and Indigenous patients and patients of color. Affirmative action will assist minorities and underprivileged students in breaking the intergenerational obstacles caused by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic class (Thomas & Dockter, 2019). It will also aid in developing a diversified and culturally competent healthcare staff that is critical to enhancing individual and societal health and eliminating racial and ethnic inequalities.
Conclusion
Affirmation action is integral to the long-term effort to develop a diverse medical workforce. A diversified physician workforce boosts performance and patient experience. As a result, residency training institutions should explore approaches to recruit minority medical students and build successful mentorship and teaching. Student body racial and ethnic diversity is essential for medical schools to achieve their academic purpose of minimizing racial and ethnic health inequalities in society.
References
Arnold, J. (2021). Racial inequalities in health care: Affirmative action programs in medical education and residency training programs. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 49(2), 206-210.
Franks, N. M., Gipson, K., Kaltiso, S.-A., Osborne, A., & Heron, S. L. (2021). The time is now: Racism and the responsibility of emergency medicine to be antiracist. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 78(5), 577586. Web.
Heath, S. (2022). Affirmative action bans thwart medical workforce diversity.
Legal Information Institute (n.d.). Affirmation action.
Ly, D. P., Essien, U. R., Olenski, A. R., & Jena, A. B. (2022). Affirmative action bans and enrollment of students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in US public medical schools. Annals of Internal Medicine.
Mickey-Pabello, D., & Garces, L. M. (2018). Addressing racial health inequities: Understanding the impact of affirmative action bans on applications and admissions in medical schools. American Journal of Education, 125(1), 79108.
Thomas, B. R., & Dockter, N. (2019). Affirmative action and holistic review in medical school admissions. Academic Medicine, 94(4), 473-476. Web.
Thorp. H. H. (2022). Science needs affirmative action. Science, 375(6580).
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