How America’s Obsession with DEI Is Sabotaging Our Medical Schools

I didn't say it was "easy." I haven't attended medical school so I can't comment. I do find the high rate of graduation to be more of a cautionary sign than a reassuring sign that all are qualified. I wonder how many would voluntarily drop out if they weren't already in too deep with debt.

 

Training doctors to work with different populations, including what might be cultural barriers to treatment, is a great idea. Different admission standards for doctors based on the race of the applicant is a terrible idea. Black people should be allowed to attend medical school under the same criteria as everyone else, and if there is a genuine tie between applicants, admit the African American applicatant. Changing admission standards to admit more African Americans is a terrible idea.

 

I would imagine the graduation rate is pretty high with all post-grad programs. If you are going to commit that kind of time and money, most people see it through (you are probably pretty good at school by that point too). I'm not sure what that means other than people don't want to accrue massive debt without something to show. I did have a professor tell me that any idiot could basically get a PhD (I dont think he meant that literally), but you still have to do the work and pass the tests. I dont think any program necessarily prepares you to be good at any job, but there are benchmarks of competency in terms of what material you must master. But there is obviously more to any job than just being good at passing tests and being good at school. Perhaps there's an argument here that college should be free or low expense, then people arent cut out have an easy way out, and programs dont need to push students through.

 

Because there are more Ben Carsons out there and we want to make sure we find all of them?

 

More Ben Carsons? Might have to rethink my position here.

 

There are poor people who come from all backgrounds who aren’t motivated and won’t make it. That will never change.
The Ben Carson’s will make it if they have even a modicum of drive. America is set up to grab these people even as early as middle/high school.
As a counselor 18 years ago, we sifted through the kids of diversity to find those who wanted more. We pushed them to try AP and honors classes.
You guys act like dei is this new, wonderful idea. It’s just more libbie BS that gets in the way.
It’s also divisive and controversial as we we see the unintended consequences of libbies encouraging boys and girls to change sex/gender.
I can’t imagine what’s coming next down the crazy libbie pipeline of dumb ideas.

 

Fantasy? That’s just your game.

 

So we basically agree. And I do think this. Not for undergraduate. But I do think medical school shouldn't be as expensive as it is. I would offer a public service option for free medical school and non-penalty withdrawal. And if there isn't a public interest in subsidizing medical education, then we shouldn't be so worried about regulation.

 

Seems like the economic incentives, at least for doctors in a for profit system, is to have fewer doctors, not turn out lots of doctors (makes their market value higher). Whether or not you are getting the best through medical school might be debatable, but in terms of numbers its not like there are too many doctors. The barriers are there for a reason, and its not just about who is able to master the material.

 

Disagree 100% with the bold. Considering the need for Black doctors and the documented data that they reduce health disparities with Black patients, we should aggressively be seeking to recruit more Black people to medical schools. If that requires expanding the number of medical students, so be it.

The idea that we're doing some great wrong by selecting a Black doctor with a 3.92 GPA and a slightly lower MCAT score over a white doctor with a 3.95 GPA and a slightly higher MCAT score is ridiculous. Our focus should be on what's best for society. Not on some arbitrary idea of "merit."

 

Damn, man, it’s NWO communism. You need to gather together all your guns and barricade yourself in your mobile home.

 

That’s not quite true.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Carson
Note that he was in a white neighborhood and in predominantly white schools and had a mother who encouraged his education. IOW, he had privileges not available to many other blacks. He became an acclaimed neurosurgeon.

 

Reminds me of the joke - do you know what they call the person who graduates last in their class in med school?

A doctor

 

How come all my doctors have Indian names? Some of them are so hard to pronounce that the nurses shorten the doctors names by a dozen or so letters.

 

Did you say “more govt.”? Maybe I’m mistaken, but aren’t you a DeSantis supporter, a man using govt. to plummet anyone who crosses him? Besides, I don’t think DEI is a government program.

 

Nonsense I grew up in a single wide trailer in the country. I worked my ass off in school and now live in a waterfront home with kids in private school. They want to be Doctor’s too because of what they see as results of hard work. They also happen to be brilliant. Your system punishes any work they do because of their white skin and now affluent lifestyle. It’s jealousy driving these stupid policies now allowing folks that have no business being in professional school while punishing high achievers. Tell me this when the sh$t hits the fan and you need heart surgery? You want the smart kid that worked his ass off or the one given a spot due to some diversity protocol? I actually feel sorry for the kids that happen to be of other races and creeds that worked their tails off and are judged by their undeserving peers.