Deville K
Department of Medical Humanities, School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858-4354, USA.
Mt Sinai J Med. 1999 Sep;66(4):247-56.
This article reviews the current legal arguments for and against affirmative action in medical education. It concludes that many of the traditional legal defenses for race-based admissions are imperiled or defunct. The author suggests that the best and probably most viable justification for affirmative action policies is the one that recognizes that racial diversity in the medical profession is important because it provides the physicians with whom minority patients can feel safe and comfortable. Trust is a central component of the doctor-patient relationship and is the prerequisite, in many cases, to the individual physician's ability to practice good medicine. Unfortunately, minorities' historical and current experience with the medical profession and health delivery system frequently breeds suspicion rather than faith. As a result, society and the medical profession have a compelling interest and duty to produce physicians who can inspire trust in patients. In the short-to-medium term, race-conscious admissions policies may be necessary to fulfill this duty.
本文回顾了当前支持和反对医学教育中平权行动的法律论据。结论是，许多基于种族的招生传统法律辩护受到威胁或已失效。作者认为，平权行动政策的最佳且可能最可行的理由是认识到医学专业中的种族多样性很重要，因为它能让少数族裔患者感到安全和舒适。信任是医患关系的核心要素，在许多情况下，也是个体医生能够提供优质医疗服务的前提。不幸的是，少数族裔在医学专业和医疗服务体系中的历史和当前经历往往滋生怀疑而非信任。因此，社会和医学专业有强烈的利益和责任培养能够激发患者信任的医生。在短期到中期内，基于种族意识的招生政策可能是履行这一责任所必需的。
