Where can I get more information about programs that encourage more minority students to go into medicine?

There are many efforts now under way to boost minority student enrollment in medical schools, including career fairs, summer enrichment programs, and publications that provide step-by-step information about the application process and financial assistance.

In addition, in the fall of 2006,  the AAMC will launch AspiringDocs.org at four undergraduate colleges: University of Arizona, University of Pittsburgh, California State University, Fresno, and Rutgers University, with more schools to be added in the fall of 2007.  The campaign’s primary objective is to bring the information and resources on this Web site directly to campuses in an effort to increase the number of well-prepared African American, Latino/a, and Native American students who apply to and enroll in medical school. 

• Career Fairs: The AAMC also sponsors an annual Minority Student Medical Career Workshop and Recruitment Fair in conjunction with the association’s annual meeting. Here, you can talk with representatives from AAMC-member medical schools about individual medical schools, enrichment programs, financial aid, and more.
  
  
• Summer Enrichment Programs: The Summer Medical and Dental Education Program is a free, six-week, residential summer program co-directed by the AAMC and the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). There are numerous other Summer Enrichment Programs around the country. By going to the searchable database, you can find the one located at the medical school campus nearest you. Additional information on summer enrichment programs (as well as statistics on medical school graduates by school and medical students’ race, gender, and ethnicity, and other topics related to diversity) can be found in the AAMC’s Minority Student Opportunities in United States Medical Schools (MSOUSMS).
  
  
• Publications: The Medical Minority Applicant Registry helps students who are from groups underrepresented in medicine or who are economically disadvantaged by alerting medical schools that these students have taken the MCAT and are potential applicants.

For More Information:

• NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program 
  The NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) offers competitive scholarships to exceptional students from disadvantaged backgrounds that are committed to biomedical, behavioral, and social science research careers at the NIH. 
  
  
• AAMC Web Site Section “Minorities in Medicine”  - Free Resource!
  The AAMC offers a wide variety of information, resources, and data in the “Minorities in Medicine” section of its Web site. 
  
  
• AAMC Web Site Section “Diversity”  - Free Resource!
  The AAMC offers a wide variety of information, resources, and data in the “Diversity” section of its Web site. 
  
  
• AAMC Fee Assistance Program (FAP)  - Free Resource!
  The Fee Assistance Program helps students with extreme financial limitations whose inability to pay the full MCAT^® fee or the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS^®) fee would prevent them from taking the examination or applying to medical school. 
  
  
• NIH Health Disparities Research Opportunity
  The NIH Academy is a post-baccalaureate program that provides opportunities for recent college graduates to spend a year engaged in biomedical investigation at the National Institutes of Health. The mission of the Academy is to enhance research dedicated to the elimination of domestic health disparities through the development of a diverse cadre of biomedical researchers.