Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Bridging the Technology Divide in the COVID-19 Era: Using Virtual Outreach to Expose Middle and High School Students to Imaging Technology
Published on: September 28, 2022
Supports and obstacles in the medical school application process for American Indians and Alaska Natives
Davis G Patterson1, Laura-Mae Baldwin, Polly M Olsen
1Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA. dpatterson@fammed.washington.edu
Purpose:
This study examines how a wide range of supports and obstacles are associated with the medical school admissions process of American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs), an under-studied population.
Method:
All AI/AN applicants to the University of Washington School of Medicine during the 2002-2004 admissions cycles were sent a mail-in survey with numerical and open-ended items. We analyzed admissions data for all 107 applicants and data on supports and obstacles for 34 survey respondents.
Results:
Compared with respondents accepted by at least one medical school, rejected respondents were older, more often were parents, submitted fewer applications, and reported receiving less support for the medical school application process. Obstacles included difficulty with the Medical College Admission Test, insufficient finances, and poor information about the process.
Conclusion:
A conceptual framework that considers both supports and obstacles in the medical school application process will improve our understanding of the needs of AI/AN applicants.
Related Concept Videos
Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
Barriers to Effective Communication II
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
Tissue Transplantation
The Biology of Tissue Transplantation
The biology of tissue transplantation hinges on the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules. These molecules...
Bone Marrow Sampling and Transplants
The transplant begins with high doses of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, which aim to destroy the...
Surveys
Standards of Care I

