In 2018, 90% of U.S. medical schools had three or fewer AI-AN students. Six medical schools enrolled 40% of all AI-AN students.

#MedEd - we have a problem.

If medical schools have a commitment to equity, then they must make a commitment to recruiting AI-AN students. This isn’t a regional issue - indigenous students are in all of our communities*

* we are on THEIR land.

Did you know that 78% of AI-AN folks live outside AI-AN areas, in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Phoenix?

Did you also know that the AI - AN community have some of the worst health outcomes?

Did you also know that 25% of AI-AN deaths occur before age 45?

It is our collective responsibility to improve (1) AI-AN health and (2) recruit AI-AN students + SUPPORT THEM THRU GRADUATION AND INTO CAREERS.

Was I yelling? Good. Hopefully you get the message.

From @APMResearch: 1,643 Indigenous Americans are known to have lost their lives to COVID-19 through Tuesday, Sept. 15.

And this is most likely an underestimation.

Listen to this @nprscience’s Short Wave episode to learn more https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/short-wave/id1482575855?i=1000492785769

Health inequities stem from centuries of trauma and violence at the hands of the US Government. This is an active process, not just of the past. Indigenous communities are continuing to suffer because of poor policies in place from the US Gov.

I don’t have grand solutions for solving inequities. I just know things can’t stay the same. And I also believe that AI-AN voices should lead the way. So where are those voices? Are they in your classrooms? Your community clinic? Leadership?

Less than 1% of active doctors who identify as AI-AN. We all know pipeline problems can’t be fixed at medical school recruitment, but let’s look at our current state.

What are existing barriers to applying:

Cost and inability to pay
Lack of role models and mentors
Confusing application process
Limited support
Family obligations, desire to be near home

What happens when students enroll:
Minority Tax and having to represent your whole group
Debt!!!!
“dual responsibility to become experts in both Western medicine and “original instructions,” also known as traditional medicine and cultural ways.”

I’ll wrap this up by saying we’ve got a long ways to go in #meded. There’s a place for all of us to plug in and change the current landscape.

Source: https://store.aamc.org/downloadable/download/sample/sample_id/243/