Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons^™

The Current State Of Underrepresented Osteopathic Minorities In Competitive Specialties, Emmanuel Oyalabu, Steve Guzman, Dashon Eure, Ezenna Obilor

Annual Research Symposium

It is well documented that barriers exist for underrepresented minorities to enter the field of medicine and even more competitive residencies. As defined by the NRMP, competitive specialties include but are not limited to Interventional Radiology, Orthopedic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Radiation Oncology, Vascular Surgery, Neurosurgery, Dermatology, and Otornylogy (NRMP-AMA). A large number of osteopathic medical school graduates have a history of going into primary care specialties because many osteopathic medical schools have a primary care focus (Primary Care- Osteopathic Medicine). The emphasis on primary care, whether intentional or not, can foster a less-than-advantageous environment for underrepresented minority students (URM), pursuing …