Residency dismissals disproportionately affect Black and Latino trainees despite medical school diversification

Medical schools have made notable progress in diversifying their student bodies, with enrollment of Black and Latino students rising over the past decade through pipeline programs, scholarships, and targeted recruitment.

Despite these gains, the overall physician workforce has not seen a comparable shift. The transition from medical school to independent practice hinges on completing a residency, a multi‑year apprenticeship that serves as the sole pathway to board certification.

Unpublished 2015 data from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education reveal that Black residents make up only about 5% of all trainees yet account for roughly 20% of residency dismissals, highlighting a stark disparity in how the pipeline narrows.

The author argues that the system, which funds residency training, must address these inequities rather than allowing disciplinary actions to disproportionately end the careers of historically excluded groups.