The Challenges of Lagging Diversity and Inclusion in Health Care

The healthcare workforce in the United States (US) does not accurately reflect the future growth of diversity, based on projections of a more racially/ethnically diverse patient population in the US over the next decade. Poor health outcomes, particularly in African Americans, continue to occur, and African Americans continue to be underrepresented in medicine. This signals a continuation of health disparities in marginalized communities. Healthcare organizations must address the low number of Black physicians in communities and support education gaps to strengthen pipelines that will ensure a greater diversity in matriculating medical school students