The illusion of minority status

Abstract

It is common to think in terms of ‘minority’ admissions when considering displaced Natives (First Nations peoples) or populations who capture lower percentages of total physicians when compared with their percentage of the population. In America, the African American, rural, Hispanic, and lower income origin physicians are all ‘underrepresented’. Each group captures less than 10% of total physician graduates. The use of the terms ‘minority’ or ‘diverse’ should be recognized as a construct of those shaping workforce studies. It is a perception and a series of observations, typically from past tradition or based on majority status.