Stanford, Duke, Michigan Deans Talk About Diveristy

The Deans of Admission for the medical schools at Stanford, Duke, and the University of Michigan spoke about diversity and the medical profession at a recent panel hosted by the Yale College Dean’s Office and the Yale Health Professions Advisory Program.

The three agreed that health care professionals have the potential to promote positive social change through their practice of medicine. "Medicine offers you a license to do an amazing amount of good," said Stanford's Dr. Gabriel Garcia.

They agreed that extracurricular and community activities played an important role in their own preparation for medical school and that their schools look for applicants now who are not only strong academically but also active outside the classroom.

One of the deans noted that there is a significant difference between a technician and a healer, and that medical schools are looking for candidates with the ethical and social perspectives required of healers.

Source: "Panel Addresses Med. School Diversity," by Alyssa Nguyen-Phuc, the Yale Daily News, January 30, 2007