By
Shana Heiser
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Special consideration now only for certain minority groups
The definition of under-represented minorities may be expanded if minority students nationwide get their way.
Currently, the American Association of Medical Colleges awards special consideration for scholarships and admission to certain minority groups, including blacks, Mexican-Americans, American Indians and mainland Puerto Ricans.
Linda Don, director of Arizona Health Sciences Center minority affairs, said national discussions have taken place about analyzing the current policy.
"I know that it will change, and it will be a much more flexible definition and will take into account variations among the sub-groupings of broader groups," Don said.
Even with the national controversy, Don said, the AHSC is more in touch with its students' needs.
"Regardless of what the definitions are nationally, locally, we really pay close attention to the state's situation," she said.
Gail Guerrero-Tucker, an African-American third-year medical student, said the policy needs to be changed.
"The whole thing has be to looked at again, because the intent of the admissions process being affected by ethnicity is to broaden the base of physicians that serve the community, so they should reflect the community," she said.
The current American Association of Medical Colleges policy was adopted 30 years ago, and it now needs to be updated to represent today's ethnic groups, Don said.
For example, first-generation Vietnamese-Americans are under-represented, Don said. However, as a larger classification, Asian-Americans are not considered under-represented, so they do not receive special consideration.
"They (AAMC) are trying to broaden the definition, so that rather than lumping Asian-Americans into one category, they would look at details of the categories to make it more fair," Guerrero-Tucker added.
At the AHSC, a "very inclusive approach" is taken, Don said, and none of the sponsored activities "related to furthering career interest" are "exclusionary" to anyone.
"It's not limited to what the AAMC distinguishes," Don said. "We look at an individual's need for our services. It is true that there are some scholarships that are aimed at students of a particular ethnic background."
The medical school is aware of the wide range of demographics in Arizona, and the AHSC attempts to cater to everyone, she said.
"We're really sensitive to the fact that there are students coming from rural areas who might need assistance, financial or academic, as they go through school," Don said. "We try to put our programs together so they meet the needs of a variety of students."
Guerrero-Tucker, who is also on the AAMC's Organization of Student Representatives, said the issues with minority consideration are not as pressing in Arizona as in other states - such as California, with the anti-affirmative action ruling of 1996.
"Some of the states that have passed anti-affirmative action are more affected by this," she said.
Although Guerrero-Tucker said she does not believe she deserved special consideration as a minority student, she said she "deserved assistance in getting to a level playing field."
"Hispanic-Americans and African-Americans don't get as well prepared for medical school, and Native Americans are way behind," Don said. "There needs to be some diversifying of the medical field."
Shana Heiser can be reached at shana.heiser@wildcat.arizona.edu.
