PHYSICIANS FOR A DIVERSE POPULATION
The College of Medicine recently raised a fifth banner in its atrium , formally acknowledging the addition of a fifth pillar to the school ’ s strategic plan . Joining the four original banners is one representing Excellence in Diversity , Equity and Inclusion .
These tenets have been engrained in the college ’ s mission from the outset – a commitment to be responsive to community needs . Pipeline programs designed to address diversity , equity and inclusion have been vital to the college ’ s success in attracting medical students with a greater likelihood of one day serving in minority and underserved communities – including rural areas – where physician shortages are the norm .
Current enrollment figures illustrate the influence of pipeline programs like SSTRIDE , USSTRIDE and the Bridge to Clinical Medicine master ’ s program .
More than 28 % of the M . D . program ’ s current 483 students are from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine ( URM ). That includes 82 Hispanic / Latino and 51 Black / African-American students . Forty-five currently enrolled students identify as rural .
Those are more than numbers . They represent future physicians with a greater likelihood of choosing to one day take care of patients in areas with a great need . The Association of American Medical Colleges recently compared FSU to the other 154 member schools in many areas , giving those programs an opportunity to see how they compare . The AAMC found that FSU is in the 95th percentile for alumni practicing in an underserved area .
URM enrollment has increased at medical schools nationwide , with FSU ’ s College of Medicine continuing to outperform the national average . Minority students constitute 32 % of the classes of 2024 and 2025 , compared to 19.6 % nationally .
The College of Medicine ’ s enrollment also includes 69 students who are the first in their families to attend college , and 86 who are from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds .
“ Our division is focused on increasing diversity within , not only our medical school , but in all aspects of healthcare ,” said Dr . Anthony Speights , senior associate dean for Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences and director of the Bridge to Clinical Medicine program . “ When you look at what our pipeline students have been able to accomplish over the last two decades , it truly shows the impact that student support and mentorship can have .
“ Our singular focus is to find ways to increase our impact , so that we continue to send the communities we serve the diverse pool of physicians and healthcare workers they need .”
The College of Medicine is among the top 3 % nationally for graduation of Black / African American students and the top 9 % for Hispanic , Latino and Spanish students , according to the AAMC .
In 2022 , INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine presented FSU with its Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity ( HEED ) Award for a sixth consecutive time . The award recognizes health professions schools that demonstrate outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion . In 2021 , it also recognized FSU ’ s Undergraduate Science Students Together Reaching Instructional Diversity and Excellence program ( USSTRIDE ) as recipient of the Inspiring Programs in STEM Award .
“ This medical school was founded with a mission of producing future physicians who would help meet the health-care needs in communities that have traditionally struggled to have adequate access to care ,” College of Medicine Dean John P . Fogarty said . “ We are proud that this award continues to affirm that we are true to that mission , and we are succeeding in producing the physicians Florida — as well as the rest of the U . S . — needs most . We are very pleased that we have produced numerous alumni who now practice in rural parts of the state , especially in Northwest Florida .”
And proud to raise another banner .
44 Pipeline Programs | 2022 Annual Report | Florida State University College of Medicine | 500 / 1,000