Home › Posts tagged Medical School
Blog Archives

“…We’ll Build Our Own Damn Medical School”

Posted on by by

A California Assemblywoman, who is also a physician, recently introduced a bill to force the hand of the University of California in hopes of opening a medical school by next year in an underserved area of California. 

Since 1960, the University of California has been the only public education system authorized to confer medical degrees in the state. However, a new bill, introduced by Jasmeet Baines, a family physician and Democrat representing Kern County’s city of Delano, allows California State University, Bakersfield, and the Kern Community College District authority to establish a medical school if the University of California doesn’t do so within a year. 

In 1978, the Fed formally designated Kern County an area with a physician shortage. The County is located in the California Valley, which has fewer than 45 primary care physicians per 100,000 people compared to 156 per 100,000 across California.

Dr. Bains was quoted as saying, “If the UC won’t build it, we’ll build our own damn medical school.”

Tags: , , ,

Going to Medical School in the Shadow of the New Tax Bill

Posted on by by

Many of you know that I’m a fan of the sweet and informative podcast Your College Bound Kid. In recent episode 556, a student called in asking if she should change her career path away from medicine in light of the newest tax bill. Host Mark Stucker offered a deep-dive answer that I’d recommend. You can start listening at 9:55.

Tags: , , ,

Numbers of Black and Hispanic Medical School Matriculants Have Declined, a Problem that May Intensify

Posted on by by

A recent piece by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) predicts that numbers of underrepresented minorities in medical school may dwindle further amid recent executive orders regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion in federally funded programs. 

After the 2024 Supreme Court ruling that race-conscious college admissions policies violated the 14th Amendment, numbers of Black and Hispanic matriculants to medical school fell by double-digit percentages compared with the previous year. 

This downswing was particularly troubling, considering that higher proportions of Black primary care doctors are correlated with longer life expectancy and lower mortality rates for Black individuals, according to a 2023 JAMA Network research article. Furthermore, a variety of studies have shown insidious biases against Black patients.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, in 2024-5, Black medical school enrollees declined 11.6% and students of Hispanic origin fell 10.8%. The decline in enrollment of American Indian or Alaska Native students was 22.1%. New Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander enrollment declined 4.3%.

Here is the KFF piece.

Tags: , , ,

Is Making Medical School Tuition-Free Doing What it’s Supposed to?

Posted on by by

Six years ago, when Kenneth and Elaine Langone generously donated $100 million so that students could attend NYU Medical School tuition-free, the philanthropists’ main goal was to encourage more graduating doctors to enter primary care fields. 

Fast forward: In 2024, the number of NYU graduating medical students who went into primary care was about the same as it was in 2017. Furthermore, in the interim, the number of African-American students has declined – although the number of Latinos grew slightly. Additionally, at least in the first two years of the experiment, the percentage of incoming matriculants categorized as “financially disadvantaged” fell from 12% to 3%. 

One thing that has improved is NYU’s rankings and reputation.

All of this begs the question: Is making medical school tuition-free the most effective way to increase the number of primary care practitioners and improve equity?

See this clearly-written Atlantic article by Rose Horowitch for a deeper dive into the query. She was also recently interviewed by Kai Ryssdal on NPR’s Marketplace . 

Tags: , , ,

After You Get In

Posted on by by

The AAMC recently published a piece called “Congratulations, you got into medical school! Now what?” in which staff writer Bridget Balch lists seven tips for rising first-year medical students. You can see the article here.

The author makes several suggestions, including leveraging the orientation and embracing the academic challenge, but I would highlight her recommendations to find mentors and prioritize your health.

Identifying strong mentors not only affords you the potential for good letters of recommendation and little-known opportunities, but also doing so can support you when medical school is a terrible grind. Mentors can be especially important role models for women and those in traditionally underrepresented groups. The key is to assert yourself and overcome feelings of insignificance. Many faculty are eager to meet and guide students.

With regard to physical and emotional health, I’ve written recently and many times in the past about clinician burnout and depression. Medical school can be a time of significant contraction in your life. Make sure to care for yourself physically and seek mental help when needed.

In the meantime, before school starts, take a well-deserved break!

Tags: , , ,

About Dr. Michelle Finkel

Dr. Michelle Finkel

Dr. Finkel is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. On completing her residency at Harvard, she was asked to stay on as faculty at Harvard Medical School and spent five years teaching at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital. She was appointed to the Assistant Residency Director position for the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency where she reviewed countless applications, personal statements and resumes. Read more

Receive FREE Insider Medical Admissions Tips.

Sign Up

Listen to Dr. Finkel’s interview on the White Coat Investor podcast:

Listen to Dr. Finkel’s interview on the FeminEm podcast: