Dr. Roland Pattillo

by Roland A. Pattillo, MD Professor/Director of Gynecology Oncology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta
African Americans represent 13% of the United States population yet only three to four percent of U.S. physicians. Is this a new revelation or has it been a problem well recognized and high on the priority list of "issues of concern" by leaders in education, sociology and health care?

Black physicians, surgeons and medical academians are aware of the disparities in health care delivery to Black Americans result, to some extent, from the fact of and under represented minorities in medicine.

The proportion of African American physicians has changed very little despite diversity action programs instituted by medical schools in the 1960s and ’70s. In 1990, the association of American Medical Colleges initiated the grand project, "3,000 Black students by the year 2000" to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in medicine.

It was clear then that affirmative action programs had failed to achieve diversity goals. Unfortunately, by the year 2000, only 1,700 such minorities matriculated in U.S. medical schools, far short of the 3,000 goal.

The numbers peaked in 1994 but these numbers have since stagnated. Diversity in the physician work force is essential for high quality medical education and access to health care for the underserved.

Dr. Glenn Flores and Vijaya Rao conducted a recent qualitative study and exploratory inquiry of African American students’ perspectives on careers in medicine.

This study was published in the September issue of "Journal of the National Medical Association," the journal, which represents over 22,000 Black physicians. The study was conducted at Harold Vincent High School in Milwaukee, enlisting 11th grade students in a 90% predominately Black school with average family incomes of $42,000 annually.

The results of the above study showed that although increased numbers of African American physicians may increase patient-physician communication, through the common bounds, the overwhelming barriers to pursuing a career in medicine by these high school students are formidable!

Among the major obstacles were lack of knowledge about medicine, lack of peer support, financial challenges, required time commitment, stress, difficulty of course work, medical school admission requirements, lack of family support, perceptions of physicians as not typically Black, perceived racism, lack of hope and confidence and finally lack of interest in science and more interest in other areas!

The most striking conclusion that can be drawn from these studies is that "earlier than high school intervention" will be required to create greater interest in and earlier commitment to careers in the medical sciences.

Programs such as, have been initiated in MENTORING in the Milwaukee "For the Sake of Aaron Project," from the "Milwaukee Community Journal" are critical in this endeavor. This program begins with 4- to 8- to 10-year-olds and promises to instill growth through adult involvement in the lives of elementary level potential students. SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABILITY, PEER SUPPORT, FAMILY SUPPORT, exposure to health care opportunities and the resulting enhanced self-esteem and confidence naturally flow from these interventions. We can be confident that such measures can make a difference! To this end, I initiate a $5,000 scholarship is made available to high school graduates seeking pre-medical careers, under the Dr. Terence N. Thomas Memorial Scholarship Fund, Inc.