The Importance of Equal Opportunity in Medical Education and Health Care
Educating a health care workforce that includes physicians from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives to care for all patients and communities is critical for everyone’s health.
Including a variety of perspectives and experiences into medical education helps future doctors provide better medical care by better understanding the specific issues that each patient faces. This work is critical to addressing the long-standing and well-documented disparities in our health care system and their impact on the health of patients and communities around the country.
Understanding all life experiences.
Patients' backgrounds and experiences play a major role in their health. Doctors who understand something about those backgrounds and experiences can provide more effective, personalized care. Factors that influence a patient's health can include their race, sexual orientation, religion, where they live, how much money they have, their veteran status, disability status, and much more.
The AAMC’s mission is to improve the health of people everywhere.
As stated in a March 2024 joint statement issued by the AAMC and several health care and medical organizations:
"We aim for excellence in patient care which cannot exist until we have a physician workforce capable of caring for all patients and their needs holistically, and until the profession of medicine is accessible to all qualified individuals."
AAMC endorses resolution recognizing the importance of excellence in medical education
Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), co-chair of the Congressional Black Caucus’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Task Force, and Congresswoman Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), co-chair of the Congressional Academic Medicine Caucus, introduced a resolution affirming how important it is to have a physician workforce that mirrors our broad population in order to attain quality health care for all.
In support of the resolution, David J. Skorton, MD, AAMC president and CEO, said, “Medical schools are in the best position to identify how to prepare their students to meet the needs of the physician workforce and must have the autonomy and flexibility to do so. When a medical school recognizes the benefits associated with cultivating student belonging—fostering educational benefits associated with all types of diversity, ensuring equal educational opportunities for their students, and providing instruction on evidence-based knowledge they deem to be fundamental—it is within their purview and their responsibility to pursue those efforts.”
Read More from Congresswoman Joyce Beatty
Read More from Congresswoman Kathy Castor
Diversity
DIVERSITY is a way to describe all aspects of humanity – including our individual differences, characteristics, and experiences. Diversity is the concept of including all people and valuing their differences.
"Diversity refers to all aspects of human differences including but not limited to socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, geography (including rural and highly rural areas), language, nationality, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and age." 1
Equity
EQUITY recognizes that resources are unevenly distributed and considers the specific needs or circumstances of a person or group to provide the resources needed to help them be successful. Equity is different from equality.
For example, equitable support for students is providing mentors and financial resources to prospective students who have the talents and abilities to enter medical school, but who do not have access to the support needed to pursue their career aspirations to become a doctor. Equity in the clinical care setting is about making sure that every patient – regardless of their background, income, or education level – receives the care needed to live the healthiest life possible.
"[Equity r]efers to fairness and justice and is distinguished from equality. While equality means providing the same to all, equity requires recognizing that we do not all start from the same place ….” 2
Inclusion
INCLUSION provides the opportunity and environment where everyone has a meaningful experience in and contribution toward our medical schools and health systems and discourages feelings of being unwelcome, left out, or out of place.
Programs focused on inclusion ensure that everyone feels welcomed, valued, and respected in medical school regardless of their parents’ income, profession, or status in society. With inclusion, everyone has a seat at the table.
Inclusion means incorporating the experiences of patients from different backgrounds into medical curricula to ensure future doctors are aware of and can better address health care needs. Learning from the experiences of patients from rural backgrounds, those from a wide variety of cultures and ethnicities, and those of lower socioeconomic statuses is critical for learning how to care for all.
"Inclusion is achieved by nurturing the climate and culture of the institution through professional development, education, policy, and practice. The objective is to create a climate that fosters belonging, respect, and value for all and encourages engagement and connection throughout the institution and community." 4
My Story Matters
In this AAMC video series, medical students and physicians explain how their unique personal experiences have guided their careers in medicine.
Joel Bervell
Fourth year Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine medical student Joel Bervell talks about how important a health care team comprised of individuals from different backgrounds and experiences is to addressing health disparities and why personal stories should continue to be considered in medical school applications.
Donna Tran, MPH
Fourth year Michigan State University College of Human Medicine medical student Donna Tran, MPH, shares how her personal experience impacted her desire to pursue a medical degree and help patients with mental health issues in underserved communities.
Michael Walls, DO, MPH
Michael Walls, DO, MPH, an emergency medicine intern at George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences, explains how a health care workforce made up of people with different backgrounds and perspectives helps break cultural barriers and promotes improved communication – leading to better patient outcomes.
Lee Jones, MD
Lee Jones, MD, dean of medical education, Georgetown University School of Medicine, shares how a health workforce made up of people from all backgrounds promotes better outcomes for patients.