A new survey reveals alarming rates of discrimination and mental health challenges among Latina women in medical training programs across the United States. The study, published in BMC Medical Education, found that nearly 75% of Latina respondents experienced negative ethnicity-based interactions from others in the medical field during their training.
Over half of the 230 survey participants, most of whom were medical students, reported experiencing discrimination from patients and their families as well. The mental health toll was significant, with over 76% of respondents reporting depression or depressive symptoms during their medical training. Many also struggled with anxiety, burnout, and discrimination.
These findings come amid a severe underrepresentation of Latino physicians in the U.S. healthcare workforce. While Latinos make up almost 18% of the U.S. population, they account for only 6.3% of physicians. The disparity is even more pronounced for Latina doctors specifically, who comprise just 2.4% of physicians nationwide.
Study author Gabriella Geiger emphasized the importance of addressing this issue, noting that “racial concordance between physician and patient leads to better outcomes.” She warned that without changes, negative experiences during training could lead more Latinas to leave medicine, further exacerbating existing disparities.
The researchers plan to share their findings with medical schools nationwide, aiming to promote more inclusive training environments and ultimately increase diversity in the physician workforce to better serve the growing Latino population.
See “Latinas in Medicine Report Discrimination and Depression During Medical Training” (January 12, 2024)
