DIVERSITY OF PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL APPLICANTS OVER A TEN YEAR PERIOD IN THE UNITED STATES (2003-2013)
Dental Research: An International Journal, 01 (01):
01-09 (February 2017)Abstract
Diversification is an important aspect of professional schools. As the representation of racial minorities has been steady at a fairly low percentage, professional schools have struggled with the lack of diversity in their student population for decades. There are numerous consequences resulting from this underrepresentation. The need for dental, medical, osteopathic treatments and law services is unmet for many racial and ethnic minorities. It is important to have the presence of minority health care professionals who may meet the needs of minority communities. In addition, the lack of diversity on the student body population also affects the quality of education. Diversity in education allows for learning that occurs through the interaction of people of different races and ethnicities. The object of this study is to assess the changes in the diversity of professional school applicants over a ten year periods using gender and race/ethnicity data in the United States.