A Systematic Review of URM Faculty Development

As the general population in the United States becomes more diverse, the need for increased diversity in medical education becomes apparent. Nonetheless, minority faculty, defined as African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Native Americans, and Mainland Puerto Ricans continue to be underrepresented in medical education. There are concerns that this underrepresentation directly affects recruitment, mentoring, and retention of minority students.1 Some common challenges in the recruitment and retention of minority faculty include poor mentorship, unclear criteria for tenure and promotion, and lack of understanding of institutional culture.2,3 An institution’s diversity climate plays a significant role in minority faculty members’ perception of the institution,4 and there is evidence that gathering faculty input on how to improve institutional climate may be beneficial.1 The perception that an institutional climate is not supportive of minority faculty advancement increases the likelihood that such faculty will leave academia prematurely.5 Understanding why minority faculty leave academia is critical to addressing this problem, and there is evidence to suggest that reasons for minority faculty attrition can be changed.5 Documentation of minority faculty leaving academia in medical education highlights this concern and offers an opportunity for solutions at both the institutional and the state level. Reviewing the literature can help to identify and define the issues facing minority medical