A Vital Pulse Check For National Health

WASHINGTON - May 7, 2024 - PRLog -- Washington, DC — With mounting apprehension over the erosion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in medical education, the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) has conducted the largest-ever national survey to date shedding light on critical challenges facing underrepresented medical students across the United States.

Efforts to remove DEI initiatives within academic centers, including the proposed Embracing Anti- Discrimination, Unbiased, Curriculum, and Advancing Truth in Education (EDUCATE) Act introduced by Rep. Greg Murphy, M.D. (RNC), threaten to exacerbate existing disparities in healthcare by prohibiting medical schools from federal funding if they adopt policies and/or requirements concerning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Without the efforts of DEI and, similarly, Affirmative Action, the U.S. physician workforce will not reflect the growing needs of a diverse patient population. This undermines progress toward equitable healthcare and jeopardizes the health and well-being of these patients, particularly those who are marginalized and disenfranchised, across the nation. This threatens to undermine the fabric of medical education and exacerbate the physician shortage and ultimately health inequities.

The survey, titled "SNMA AMEC 2024: Attitudes Toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Climate," was conducted during and immediately after the 2024 Annual Medical Education Conference (AMEC), garnering responses from 1,603 medical students and to a lesser degree premedical students and physicians.

The survey revealed alarming trends that underscore the essential role DEI plays in shaping the future of equitable healthcare. The survey demonstrates in real time the devastating impact laws and policies like the EDUCATE ACT are creating on medical school campuses and the nation's pathways for future physicians.

In response to these findings, the SNMA underscores the indispensable role of DEI initiatives in fostering a diverse and culturally competent physician workforce addressing the national shortage of physicians.

It is important to note that in March 2024, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) released projections indicating that the United States will face a physician shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036. These startling findings cannot be overlooked and actually could be worse according to the AAMC.

For the full view on this survey, check SNMA's website.