Addressing disparities in academic medicine: what of the minority tax?

TLDR

The proportion of black, Latino, and Native American faculty in U.S. academic medical centers has remained almost unchanged over the last 20 years, and the so‑called minority tax—extra responsibilities placed on minority faculty—creates a complex disparity across diversity efforts, racism, isolation, mentorship, clinical duties, and promotion. The authors aim to examine the components of the URMM responsibility disparity to identify practical steps for academic leaders and policymakers to promote faculty equity.

Abstract

The proportion of black, Latino, and Native American faculty in U.S. academic medical centers has remained almost unchanged over the last 20 years. Some authors credit the "minority tax"-the burden of extra responsibilities placed on minority faculty in the name of diversity. This tax is in reality very complex, and a major source of inequity in academic medicine.The "minority tax" is better described as an Underrepresented Minority in Medicine (URMM) faculty responsibility disparity. This disparity is evident in many areas: diversity efforts, racism, isolation, mentorship, clinical responsibilities, and promotion. The authors examine the components of the URMM responsibility disparity and use information from the medical literature and from human resources to suggest practical steps that can be taken by academic leaders and policymakers to move toward establishing faculty equity and thus increase the numbers of black, Latino, and Native American faculty in academic medicine.