One reason the push for diversity in medicine is lagging
The U.S. desperately needs more Black and Hispanic doctors, research shows. But financial pressures and discrimination can keep young people from even applying to med school.
Sabina Spigner says she's always known she wanted to be a doctor. But, as a premed student at the University of Pennsylvania, she found herself struggling to balance a heavy class load while also working as much as 20 hours a week.
"I was always working, because I didn't have money and I was a work-study student," says Spigner.
Her grades suffered as a result. In her junior year, she turned to her pre-med adviser for help. "She was like, well, you know, you're just not going to get into med school with that GPA.
