EXTENDING THE PIPELINE FOR MINORITY PHYSICIANS - A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM FOR MINORITY FACULTY-DEVELOPMENT

Medical schools must become more successful in training minority facul ty. Minority faculty development programs at schools of medicine must involve trainees rom the undergraduate years (if nor before) through j unior faculty and must involve MD and combine-degree (MD-PhD) students . The authors describe the comprehensive minority faculty development: program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, which in volves minority undergraduates, medical students, residents, fellows, and faculty. This program provides the administrative staff and resear ch methodologists to assist trainees at all levels across all departme nts in the school of medicine, The principal student recruitment progr am is the undergraduate premedicine enrichment program. The medical st udent component provides general counseling, research development, and activities to enhance performance in the clinical courses. The compon ents for advanced trainees (residents, fellows, and postdoctoral train ees) and faculty consist of training in research methods, mentoring, t eaching skills, and scientific writing skills. Through this program, t he University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has increased the num ber of under-represented minority faculty by 32% since 1993-94 and cre ated an environment conducive to the professional growth and developme nt of minority faculty.