Requiring a letter of recommendation from a physician as part of osteopathic medical school applications could act as a barrier to entry and prevent diversity within the school, according to a study published in the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine.
The study, published March 21, found that ethnic and racial minority students make up only 11.1 percent of the student body at osteopathic medical schools, despite making up 34.1 percent of the overall population in the United States.
The study also found that schools that required a physician letter of recommendation had fewer applicants from all races and ethnicities, but schools with this requirement had on average 37.3 and 51.2 percent fewer Black applicants and matriculants, respectively.
The study was conducted by researchers at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Carolinas Campus in Spartanburg, S.C.