Racial Diversity Among American Cardiologists: Implications for the Past, Present, and Future

Abstract

In the United States, race-based disparities in cardiovascular disease care have proven to be pervasive, deadly, and expensive. African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and Native/Indigenous American individuals are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and are less likely to receive high-quality, evidence-based medical care as compared with their White American counterparts. Although the United States population is diverse, the cardiovascular workforce that provides its much-needed care lacks diversity. The available data show that care provided by physicians from racially diverse backgrounds is associated with better quality, both for minoritized patients and for majority patients. Not only is cardiovascular workforce diversity associated with improvements in health care quality, but racial diversity among academic teams and research scientists is linked with research quality. We outline documented barriers to achieving workforce diversity and suggest evidence-based strategies to overcome these barriers. Key strategies to enhance racial diversity in cardiology include improving recruitment and retention of racially diverse members of the cardiology workforce and focusing on cardiovascular health equity for patients. This review draws attention to academic institutions, but the implications should be considered relevant for nonacademic and community settings as well.

Racism and Cardiology: A Global Call to Action

“…However, the academic medicine and cardiology community can and must take active steps now. We recommend a tripartite approach to enhancing the diversity of the physician workforce 93 . The first is to reach out to the "deep pipeline" of minority children and girls, exposing them to medicine and cardiology via hands-on learning sessions in simulation centres and visiting high school "career day" sessions.…”

“…The initial results show a commendable 5% increase in the number of students with diverse attributes. In the US, the American Medical Colleges Experience-Attributes-Metrics Model gives importance to those life experiences before medical school or residency in addition to education, leadership and community service 95 . However, it is not as explicitly supportive as the University of Manitoba system that gives value to the many challenges of social deprivation.…”

“…We recommend a tripartite approach to enhancing the diversity of the physician workforce. 91 The first step is to reach out to the “deep pipeline” of minority children and girls, by exposing them to medicine and cardiology via hands-on learning sessions in simulation centres and visiting high school “career day” sessions. The second step is outreach to the “intermediate pipeline” of college and medical students and internal medicine residents by serving as mentors and allowing them to “shadow” when possible.…”

Lack of Equity in the Cardiology Physician Workforce: A Narrative Review and Analysis of the Literature

“…1 More than 50% of cardiologists in the US are White. 2 Black, Latino, and Indigenous populations are significantly underrepresented in the cardiology workforce. 2 Even a cursory evaluation of the cardiology workforce shows that we, as a profession, do not reflect the diversity of the population we serve.…”

“… 2 Black, Latino, and Indigenous populations are significantly underrepresented in the cardiology workforce. 2 Even a cursory evaluation of the cardiology workforce shows that we, as a profession, do not reflect the diversity of the population we serve. There is no evidence to suggest that members of equity-deserving groups are uninterested in the practice of cardiac medicine.…”