ACP joins Supreme Court brief regarding racial preferences

The American College of Physicians has joined an amicus curiae brief to the Supreme Court of the United States in the Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin case, according to a press release.

The organization, along with the Association of American Medical Colleges and 31 other organizations, is urging the court to "uphold considerations of race and ethnicity in the medical school admissions process."

In the brief, petitioners state that living in an urban or rural environment, race, ethnicity and socio-economic status contribute to significant health inequalities. They also argue that a "workforce of culturally competent health professionals" is necessary to increase the number of doctors in underserved areas.

"Student diversity clearly benefits all medical school students, faculty, and practicing physicians by enhancing opportunities for improved cultural competencies and sensitivity," Wayne J. Riley, MD, MPH, MBA, MACP, president of the ACP, said in the release. "Preventing, inhibiting, or barring medical schools from considering race and ethnicity in admissions would undermine policies intended to provide enhanced opportunities in the medical profession for students from minority and underserved populations and would counter necessary efforts to achieve a more diversified physician workforce to serve an increasingly more diverse American public."

According to the release, in 2012 the ACP filed another brief related to the case to the Supreme Court with 29 other organizations.