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While the number of first-year medical students in the U.S. rose 0.8 percent over all between fall 2023–24 and fall 2024–25, the first class of students to enroll since the U.S. Supreme Court banned affirmative action had fewer Black, Latino and Native students, according to data the Association of American Medical Colleges released last week.

First-year Black or African American declined 11.6 percent between 2023–24 and 2024–25, the third year in a row of declines. The share of Hispanic and Latino first-year students fell 10.8 percent compared to last year. First-generation and low-income matriculants also declined, 2.3 percent and 2.1 percent, respectively, maintaining a years-long downslope.

At the same time, the number of medical school applicants from many underrepresented groups increased—even as the total number of applicants fell 1.2 percent, marking the third consecutive year of decline.

Between 2023–24 and 2024–25, applications increased 2.8 percent for Black students and 2.2 percent for Hispanic and Latino applicants, though applications from Native students fell by 15.4 percent.

The challenge lies in converting those applicants into enrollees.

“In the wake of the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision on the consideration of race in admissions and state-level policies ending funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, medical schools are operating in a new environment,” Dr. David A. Acosta, chief diversity and inclusion officer of the AAMC, said in a news release. “In order to continue to recruit and matriculate strong classes, it is critical that schools support pathways programs and use effective race-neutral admissions practices and tools, such as holistic review.”

There’s evidence that some alternative practices are already working to diversify medical education, which advocates say produces a more diverse physician workforce—and, ideally, more equitable health outcomes.

Medical school enrollment nationwide in 2024 was notably more racially and ethnically diverse than it was in the fall of 2017, according to the AAMC data. Black medical school enrollment increased from 7.9 percent to 10.3 percent during that time period, and Hispanic enrollment increased from 9.9 percent to 12.3 percent.