The United States is facing a doctor shortage, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (www.aamc.org). Physicians from minority, rural and other under- served communities are in especially short supply.

"Studies show that people tend to have better health if the physician reflects their background," says Jo Peterson, director of Minnesota's Future Doctors (www.meded.umn.edu /futuredocs). That's because patients and providers who share a common culture often understand each other better and communicate more easily.

Addressing Inequality

Several years ago, two medical students at the University of Minnesota realized that their classmates did not reflect the state's diversity. They conceived the Minnesota's Future Doctors program to address this inequality.

A collaboration between the University of Minnesota and Mayo Clinic medical schools, the program targets economically challenged students from underrepresented groups. Its goal is to help these students - usually the first in their family to attend college - succeed, so they will be strong applicants for medical school. The program will serve 150 students when it reaches full capacity later this year.

Dedicated Students

Participants spend the summers after their freshman, sophomore and junior years learning about clinical care and research. During the first summer, they take advanced science courses and shadow community-based University of Minnesota and Mayo Clinic physicians. During the second and third summers, they work with physicians, prepare for the Medical College Admission Test, refine their medical school applications and practice interview techniques.

Peterson is impressed by the dedication of the students, most of whom are active volunteers as well as scholars. "These fantastic young people are already caring for the community. They are the kind of students we want and need in our medical schools if we are to prepare physicians who can relate to the increasingly diverse population in our state," she says.

Nancy Giguere is a freelance writer from St. Paul who has written about healthcare since 1995.