Academic and post-graduate performance of African American medical students by category of premed institution: Historically black vs. predominantly white institutions

Purpose. African American (AA) physicians are more likely to practice primary care and care for underserved populations than majority physicians, yet remain underrepresented in medicine. Because Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have a legacy of matriculating students with lower standardized test scores, majority medical schools may be reluctant to form pipelines with HBCUs. We compared academic and postgraduate performance of two groups of AA students at The Ohio State University College of Medicine: HBCU versus Predominantly White Institutions (PWI) graduates. Methods. We identified 212 AA matriculants between 1992 and 2007. Group 1 (N=39) were HBCU graduates, Group 2 (N=173) were PWI graduates. We compared MCAT scores, medical school, and post-graduate performance. Results. Despite lower average MCAT scores, groups did not differ significantly in terms of graduating, matching into residencies, selecting primary care, or achieving board certification. Conclusions. Majority medical schools should consider forming strong recruitment pipelines with HBCUs.