Improving Underrepresented Minority in Medicine Representation in Medical School.

Objectives: Despite the efforts of various leading organizations in medical education, representation of black students in US medical schools has declined since the mid-1990s. The Florida State University College of Medicine (FSUCOM) has undertaken efforts to increase black and other underrepresented minority in medicine (URMM) representation in medical school through the Bridge to Clinical Medicine Program. This program is described and analyzed by the authors.

Student's perspective of success in a postbaccalaureate program.

Objective: To identify contributors to the success of students in medical school that graduate from a 1-year postbaccalaureate bridge program.

Method: In 2010, using rigorous qualitative methodology, the principal investigator interviewed a random sample of 15 (23%) of current and past graduates of The Florida State University College of Medicine Bridge program. The investigators recorded and transcribed the interviews, utilized consensual qualitative research methodology to analyze the data, and identified an overarching theoretical construct.

Contributors of black men's success in admission to and graduation from medical school.

Purpose: To determine characteristics and individual experiences that contribute to black men's success in being admitted to and graduating from medical school.

Method: In 2010, one of the authors, a black man, interviewed 10 black male medical students enrolled at Florida State University College of Medicine and 3 black male physicians associated with that school, using consensual qualitative research methodology to analyze the data. The investigators recorded and transcribed the interviews, coded them to determine themes, and identified an overarching theoretical construct.

Toward a common framework for rural background.

Background And Objectives: To develop a standardized framework to discuss rural background, a review of the literature to identify studies regarding the association of rural background with primary care and/or rural health practice was conducted. The various definitions of rural background were collated and from this data a framework for the conceptualization of rural background is proposed.

Methods: The Medline database from 1966-2009 was searched to find citations that included a rural background definition as a variable for rural intent to practice, rural career choice, or rural practice.