The cost of medical school is a barrier to diversity in the medical profession, The New York Times reports.
Why it matters: Diversity among doctors hasn't moved much between 1988 and 2017, according to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges. More than three-quarters of American medical school students came from affluent households.
By the numbers: Medical school graduates in 2018 had a median debt of $200,000, according to the New England Journal of Medicine.
- Expenses for equipment and study aids totaled more than $4,000.
The bottom line, per NYT: "That top medical schools seem to favor the rich is especially disturbing to low-income students because they know that their diverse experiences and perspectives are an asset, not a liability."