Mon 16 Jun 2008
Minorities underrepresented in California doctor work force (American Medical News)
Posted by Editor under HealthcareCalifornia’s population is much more racially and ethnically diverse than its physicians, according to a report by the Center for California Health Workforce Studies. That’s a concern, the study stated, because minority physicians play a key role in the minority community’s access to care.
The report found that Hispanics made up 32% of the state’s general population but only 5% of its practicing physicians. Blacks accounted for 7% of the population and 3% of physicians. Native Americans were 1% of the population and 0.6% of physicians.
As a group, Asian and Pacific Islanders were not underrepresented, making up 11% of the general population and 26% of physicians. However, there were shortages in Asian subgroups such as the Hmong, Samoans and Cambodians.