Taking My Place in Medicine

A Guide for Minority Medical Students

Adapting to life as a medical trainee challenges any student. Minority students—African Americans, Mexican Americans, native Americans, mainland Puerto Ricans, and Hawaiians—whose backgrounds often differ from those who govern medical centers, need also adapt to the values, beliefs, and customs of the dominant group. Mentors with similar backgrounds, who can serve as role models, are usually sorely lacking. This book is designed to help minority students thrive personally and academically in medical school, to make a realistic assessment of their strengths and weaknesses, to successfully confront societal myths and stereotypes and to develop healthy strategies to meet academic, personal, and relationship needs. Dr. Carmen Webb, having assisted countless medical students with these very issues, has assembled an outstanding cadre of insightful professionals to address these important needs, each highly qualified and devoted to promoting medical student well-being.