Medunsa, the Medical University of Southern Africa, was founded in 197
6 to address both the underrepresentation of blacks in the health prof
essions and the lack of good health care in the homelands. The univers
ity trains most fo the black physicians, dentists, veterinarians, and
allied health professionals in South Africa, and it places a great emp
hasis on community service and preventive medicine. Medunsa also has p
rograms to help socially and academically disadvantaged applicants. In
some respects, the ongoing development of Medunsa mirrors that of his
torically black health professions schools in the United States, and M
edunsa struggles with some of the same problems. Medunsa can learn fro
m the histories of these American schools as it faces the challenges o
f the post-apartheid era; in turn, all U.S. schools can learn from Med
unsa's history as they struggle with physician supply questions and he
alth care reform issues.