Diversifying Medical School and Residency Programs: a Practical Guide for Gatekeepers

Purpose of Review: The physician workforce in the USA does not reflect the diversity of the nation’s population, and this lack of diversity contributes to current healthcare disparities. We provide a brief review of strategies that may help medical educators enhance the diversity of their medical schools or residency programs. Recent Findings: Crafting a mission statement, active recruiting, expanding the application screening process, extending the concept of “merit,” and mitigating implicit biases are reviewed as strategies to enhance diversity in medicine. Summary: Diversity drives excellent outcomes in clinical medicine and research. It is imperative that residency program directors and admissions committee leaders be familiar with practical tools to help enhance diversity in their programs.