The American Medical Association recently adopted policy aimed at ensuring greater diversity in the physician workforce. I applaud their action and hope to encourage dialogue among northern Colorado physicians on this issue.

Studies show that all patients, but particularly those from marginalized communities, benefit from a diverse physician workforce and might experience improved outcomes when paired with a physician who is also from a diverse background. However, according to the American Medical Association, national census data show that less than 10 percent of physicians are African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans and Alaska Natives combined.

Through the new policy, the AMA will work toward establishing best practices for the sustainability and success of health care career pipeline programs, or “pathway programs” – designed to draw students from diverse backgrounds into the field of medicine. The AMA will support the publication of a white paper chronicling pathway programs across the nation and work with various stakeholders, including medical and allied health professional societies, established biomedical science pipeline programs and other appropriate entities, to establish best practices for the sustainability and success of health care career pipeline programs.

Read more about the new policy here.

A few of the AMA’s other current activities related to diversity are listed below.

• The Medical Education unit continues to work with medical schools to promote diversity and inclusion. A spring Accelerating Change in Medical Education consortium meeting reviewed best practices in admissions for addressing diversity and recruiting for students who are underrepresented in medicine.
• AMA continues its collaboration and partnerships with the following ethnic minority medical associations: National Medical Association, National Hispanic Medical Association, Student National Medical Association, Association of American Indian Physicians and the National Minority Quality Forum.
• AMA’s Minority Affairs Section submitted new AMA policy and directives related to the American Indian medical student pipeline and the necessary qualifications for the Director of Indian Health Service. In August 2019, MAS will serve as a co-host for a summit to explore strategies to improve the pipeline of Native American physicians.

What can we do in northern Colorado? How do we promote and celebrate all of our physicians, keep a keen eye to the future physician workforce and continually improve patient outcomes in all manners? We all know that you don’t have to be a physician of color or from a diverse background to positively impact this issue and decrease disparities in medicine. A physician workforce that is informed, aware, and well versed in the various ways in which bias can impact health outcomes is a powerful step toward decreasing disparities in health outcomes.

This is just the beginning of an important conversation with no single answer. Your NCMS board of directors will be learning more about this issue and becoming better informed ourselves over the coming months. I ask that you consider this question in your own experience and context and consider sharing your comments with me by emailing NCMS at nocomedsoc@gmail.com.