Increasing the Representation of Underrepresented Minority Groups in US Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

Abstract

The United States is rapidly becoming a more racially and ethnically diverse nation. The US Census Bureau projects that by 2050, non-Hispanic whites will constitute less than 53% and minorities will constitute more than 47% of the American population. According to the Census Bureau's 2006 American Community Survey,1 Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans comprise 28% of the US population (Black, 12.4%; Hispanic or Latino 14. 8%, and Native American, 0.8%). When the representation of Blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans in colleges and schools of pharmacy is compared to these census data, it is clear that the representation of these racial and ethnic groups is considerably lower than their representation in the general population. In 2006, these underrepresented minority groups accounted for 12% of the total number of doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degrees conferred as first professional degrees (Black, 7.4%; Hispanic, 4.2% and Native American, 0.4%).2 Stronger representation of Black, Hispanic and Native American students graduating from PharmD programs is necessary to positively impact the health outcomes of an increasingly diverse US population, and to develop and sustain a pool of culturally competent educators, researchers, and practitioners.