M.L. Elks is professor, Department of Medical Education, and senior associate dean of educational affairs, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia. J. Herbert-Carter is chair and associate professor, Department of Medical Education, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia. M. Smith is professor, Department of Pathology and Anatomy, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia. B. Klement is associate professor, Department of Medical Education, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia. B.B. Knight is assistant professor, Department of Medical Education, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia. N.F. Anachebe is associate professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
Acad Med. 2018 Jan;93(1):66-70. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000001783.
Diversity in the health care workforce is key to achieving health equity. Although U.S. medical schools have worked to increase the matriculation and academic success of underrepresented minority (URM) students (African Americans, Latinos, others), they have had only limited success. Lower standardized test scores, including on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), have been a barrier to matriculation for many URM applicants. Lower subsequent standardized exam scores, including on the United States Medical Licensing Exam Step 1, also have been an impediment to students' progress, with mean scores for URM students lagging behind those for others.
Faculty at the Morehouse School of Medicine developed and implemented interventions to enhance the academic success of their URM students (about 75% are African American, and 5% are from other URM groups). To assess the outcomes of this work, the authors analyzed the MCAT scores and subsequent Step 1 scores of students in the graduating classes of 2009-2014. They also reviewed course evaluations, Graduation Questionnaires, and student and faculty interviews and focus groups.
Students' Step 1 scores exceeded those expected based on their MCAT scores. This success was due to three key elements: (1) milieu and mentoring, (2) structure and content of the curriculum, and (3) monitoring.
A series of mixed-method studies are planned to better discern the core elements of faculty-student relationships that are key to students' success. Lower test scores are not a fixed attribute; with the elements described, success is attainable for all students.
医疗保健工作队伍的多样性是实现卫生公平的关键。尽管美国医学院校一直在努力增加代表性不足的少数族裔（非裔美国人、拉丁裔等）学生的入学率和学业成功，但收效甚微。较低的标准化考试成绩，包括医学院入学考试（MCAT）的成绩，一直是许多少数族裔申请人入学的障碍。随后的标准化考试成绩较低，包括美国医师执照考试第 1 步的成绩，也一直阻碍着学生的进步，少数族裔学生的平均成绩落后于其他学生。
莫尔豪斯医学院的教师制定并实施了干预措施，以提高少数族裔学生的学业成绩（约 75%是非洲裔美国人，5%来自其他少数族裔群体）。为了评估这项工作的结果，作者分析了 2009-2014 届毕业生的 MCAT 成绩和随后的第 1 步成绩。他们还审查了课程评估、毕业问卷、学生和教师访谈以及焦点小组。
学生的第 1 步成绩超过了基于 MCAT 成绩的预期。这一成功归因于三个关键因素：（1）环境和指导，（2）课程的结构和内容，以及（3）监测。
计划进行一系列混合方法研究，以更好地了解对学生成功至关重要的师生关系的核心要素。较低的考试成绩不是固定的属性；有了所描述的要素，所有学生都可以取得成功。
