Opinion: Exclude race from medical school admissions and students, patients, and the entire health care system lose out
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Monday in two cases that could eliminate race as a factor in university’s admissions processes. The precedent established in 2003, when the court ruled that race, along with other factors, could be given limited consideration in higher education admissions when necessary to achieve student body diversity, is now in jeopardy. Should the court overturn its earlier ruling, the implications would be felt broadly across all sectors of society — including the health care system.
From my perspective as chair-elect of the board of directors for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), a position informed by my role as dean of medical education at Georgetown University School of Medicine, the consideration of race as one of many elements in the admissions process is not only appropriate but essential. U.S. medical schools — and health care generally — thrive on the diversity of thought, experience, and perspective made possible by this holistic approach to admissions.
