Class of 2020: Highest number of minority medical students ever
August 18, 2016
COM recognized as national leader in recruitment, retention and graduation of African-American medical students
CHARLESTON, SC – The Medical University of South Carolina’s College of Medicine (COM) has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as having the fifth largest number of African-American medical students in the U.S., outside of historically black colleges and universities. In addition, the American Association of Medical Colleges ranks MUSC COM in the 96th percentile for medical schools with the most African-American students. In the 2015-2016 academic year, COM enrolled 129 underrepresented minority (URM) medical students, or 18 percent of the medical student body. Of those students, 95 (13 percent of the student body) identified as African-American. The class of 2020 has 19 percent URM students, continuing the upward trend.
MUSC recognizes that the solution to increased diversity in the physician workforce starts with bringing minorities into medical education, and is focused on recruiting, supporting and graduating diverse medical students through a number of initiatives. For example, the cost of a medical education is a hindrance to many students, and particularly URM students. Since 2012, MUSC’s “Opening Doors” medical scholarship program has funded 27 scholarships to URM students to ease their financial burden as they pursue medical careers.
For a deeper look at recruitment and retention efforts for COM URM students, see the table and links below:
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MUSC College of Medicine Diversity Initiatives |
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| URM Student Pipeline Programsfor development and recruitment | http://academicdepartments.
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| URM Student Mentorship for development and retention | http://academicdepartments. |
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| URM Resident recruitment, development and retention | http://academicdepartments. |
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| URM Faculty recruitment, development, and retention | http://academicdepartments. |
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