Advancing Equity: A Snapshot of African Americans in the Health Workforce
- Proximate Learning LLC
- Feb 27
- 5 min read
At Proximate Learning, we believe that achieving health equity begins with the systems, organizations, and individuals who courageously work in public health, community health centers, and healthcare institutions. The public health and healthcare systems in the U.S. play a crucial role in shaping the well-being of individuals and communities. A strong and diverse health workforce is essential for preventing illness, treating disease, and promoting overall health. However, despite the need for representation, workforce demographics do not reflect the communities they serve. Only 5.7% of physicians in the United States are Black, according to the AAMC (Boyle, 2023). Medical colleges and associations have been trying to increase that number for decades, understanding that a diverse public health workforce is better equipped to address disparities and implement population-based approaches that improve health outcomes in underrepresented communities (Coronado et al., 2020). Research shows that when patients receive care from professionals who share their background, they experience greater comfort and improved healthcare outcomes (Takeshita, 2020).
In recent months, abrupt policy changes, budget freezes, and federal-level firings have disrupted the healthcare landscape. Having worked closely with agencies such as HHS, the CDC, and other federal organizations, Proximate Learning is committed to advancing health workforce equity and mitigating the negative effects of these changes on underrepresented groups. With the dismantling of DEI initiatives, disparities in the healthcare workforce are likely to widen. In recognition of Black History Month, we provide a snapshot of the current state of African Americans in the health workforce, highlighting key statistics, existing disparities, and potential threats posed by recent federal policies.
African Americans continue to face systemic barriers in public health, including limited educational opportunities, hiring discrimination, and wage disparities. In the 2021-2022 academic year, the Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) reported that of 824 public health doctoral graduates, only 2.5% were Black or African American men (Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health, 2023). Furthermore, racial diversity among students and faculty in public health institutions has seen only minimal improvement over the past two decades, with non-white representation increasing by just 5% (Goodman et al., 2019). Additionally, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) receive disproportionately less funding, restricting access to effective training and career opportunities for African American students (Harper, 2019). The underrepresentation of African American professionals in public health education, especially doctoral programs, creates a pipeline problem that limits the diversity of the workforce.
Nationwide, African Americans comprise 15% of the public health workforce (Owens-Young, 2023). Research has shown that resumes with traditional African American names receive fewer callbacks, limiting job entry into the field (L. Quillian, 2017; Bertrand & Mullainathan, 2004). Even when African American professionals enter the healthcare field, they often encounter pay disparities and job satisfaction challenges. African American physicians earn less than their White counterparts, partly due to pay discrimination and limited access to higher-paying specialties (UCLA Health, 2023). Many African American healthcare workers also report feeling unsupported in their workplaces, making it more difficult to advance in their careers (Harvard Business School, 2023). As a result, many leave their jobs prematurely, exacerbating workforce shortages and negatively impacting patient care. Recent research shows that African Americans are less likely to be engaged in initiatives that address workforce discrimination, which further perpetuates racism (Kett et al., 2025).
Despite the disparities and hardships African Americans have faced in the healthcare workforce, meaningful progress has been made. Federally supported Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) were designed to recruit, train, and retain a workforce committed to underserved populations. AHECS engaged more than 248,000 students in public health pipeline programs (AHEC, 2024). Over the years, more organizations have recognized the importance of diversity. The Americans with Disabilities Act set a precedent for anti-discrimination policies within the workplace, reinforcing the need for equity and protection across healthcare sectors. Additionally, the Affordable Care Act has played a significant role in enhancing healthcare access for African Americans. A 2024 report showed the uninsured rate among nonelderly African Americans decreased by 10 percentage points, from 20.9 percent in 2010 to 10.8 percent in 2022 (ASPE, 2024).
As public health professionals, it is crucial to stay informed about policy changes and the racial discrimination that continues to shape our workforce. We must ask the difficult questions: How can we ensure better representation when serving diverse populations? What steps can we take to foster inclusivity in our organizations? If these conversations are not happening, we must be the ones to start them. Though the world is constantly changing, we must remember our “why”—we chose this work—because while we can’t control everything, we can commit to showing up authentically, challenging injustices, and rehumanizing health systems. By advocating for equity and inclusivity, we can be the driving force for lasting change in the communities we serve.
The products and services we offer at Proximate Learning are dedicated to building sustainable and equitable systems and ensuring that all individuals—regardless of race, gender, culture, or position level—are prepared for a future in our integrated health systems. Proximate Learning provides customized consultation, data-driven solutions, and an agile approach to building workforce cultures that support the communities they serve. Our new menu of products and services includes culture-building programs that provide coaching, training, strategic planning, and program design to help organizations rebalance and humanize workplace practices and policies to increase employee engagement, integrate system-wide inclusion, create effective and equitable recruiting and hiring practices, and foster positive work culture where all employees feel valued. By prioritizing these efforts, we can build a better health workforce that reflects the diversity of our communities.
References:
AHEC. (2024). Nao: What ahecs do. National AHEC Organization.
Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health. (2023, June 14). Lack of men of color graduating from the health professions declared a crisis. ASPPH.
https://aspph.org/news/pressroom/lack-of-men-of-color-graduating-from-the- health-professions-declared-a-crisis/
ASPE- Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. (2024, June 7). Health insurance coverage and access to care among Black Americans: Recent trends and key challenges.
Bertrand, M., & Mullainathan, S. (2004). Are Emily and Greg more employable than Lakisha and Jamal? A field experiment on labor market discrimination. American economic review, 94(4), 991-1013.
Boyle, P. (2023, June 6). Do black patients fare better with black doctors?. Do Black patients fare better with Black doctors?
Coronado, F., Beck, A. J., Shah, G., Young, J. L., Sellers, K., & Leider, J. P. (2020). Understanding the dynamics of diversity in the public health workforce. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 26(4), 389-392.
Goodman MS, Plepys CM, Bather JR, Kelliher RM, Healton CG. Racial/Ethnic Diversity in
Academic Public Health: 20-Year Update. Public Health Reports®. 2020;135(1):74-
81. doi:10.1177/0033354919887747
Harper, B. E. (2019). African American access to higher education: The evolving role of historically Black colleges and universities.
Harvard Business School. (2023). Racial inequality in work environments: How workplace culture affects retention. Harvard Business Review.
Kett, P. M., Shahrir, S., Bekemeier, B., Schaffer, K., Zemmel, D. J., & Patterson, D. G. (2025). Individual and organizational factors associated with public health workforce competencies to advance health equity. PLOS Global Public Health, 5(1), e0004068.
L. Quillian, D. Pager, O. Hexel, & A.H. Midtbøen, Meta-analysis of field experiments shows no change in racial discrimination in hiring over time, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 114 (41) 10870-10875, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1706255114 (2017).
Owens-Young, Jessica L. PhD, MS; Leider, Jonathon P. PhD; Bell, Caryn N. PhD. Public Health Workforce Perceptions About Organizational Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Results From PH WINS 2021. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice 29(Supplement 1):p S98-S106, January/February 2023. | DOI: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000001633
Takeshita J, Wang S, Loren AW, et al. Association of Racial/Ethnic and Gender Concordance Between Patients and Physicians With Patient Experience Ratings. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(11):e2024583. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.24583
UCLA Health. (2023, November 14). Proportion of Black physicians has seen little change over past 120 years. UCLA Newsroom.
Comments