¡Un doctor por favor!: Why We Need More Hispanic Physicians in the U.S., and Why You Should Be One of Them

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Authored by a Hispanic doctor and scientist, Un Doctor, Por Favor was inspired by a Hispanic student who was told by her school counselor that she was "not college material." This real-life story, which is followed in the book, is but one example of the difficulties faced by young Hispanics trying to enter the medical field. Un Doctor, Por Favor provides an overview of the complex health and educational challenges faced by Hispanics in the U.S., and presents it both by the numbers-aggregating current research in an understandable format-and beyond the numbers through real people's struggles and successes. The book contains stories of Hispanic physicians who have achieved their goals despite the difficulties. Their stories illustrate what can be achieved with courage and perseverance.

Most other books that address the lack of diversity in medicine are directed to educators, demographers, researchers, and policymakers. This book presents information in a concise and easy-to-understand manner. It includes more than 50 graphs and illustrations, a glossary, and more than 350 references. Each chapter features an "online resources" section with dozens of links to relevant websites on Hispanic demographics, information about underrepresented minorities in medicine, and advice for students who are interested in a career in medicine but do not know where to start or need to pursue an alternative path to medical education. Each chapter also contains a "key takeaways" section that summarizes the entire chapter in a few bullet points. Finally, the book highlights the remarkable progress in educational attainment that the Hispanic population has made over time, demonstrating that success is possible.

Un Doctor, Por Favor provides answers to these questions and many more:

What are the origins of the terms "Hispanic," "Latino" and "Latinx"?

How do Hispanics identify themselves and what factors influence Hispanic racial identity?

How does the U.S. Census define and count the Hispanic population?

How many Hispanics live in the U.S. and how many go to medical school?

Why is there a shortage of Hispanic physicians in the U.S.?

What are the risk factors for low educational attainment among Hispanics?

How early in the educational journey do the disparities begin?

Is there racial bias in standardized testing?

This book presents information in a concise and easy-to-understand manner. It includes more than 50 graphs and illustrations, a glossary, and more than 350 references. Each chapter features an "online resources" section with dozens of links to relevant websites on Hispanic demographics, information about underrepresented minorities in medicine, and advice for students who are interested in a career in medicine but do not know where to start or need to pursue an alternative path to medical education. Each chapter also contains a "key takeaways" section that summarizes the entire chapter in a few bullet points. Finally, the book highlights the remarkable progress in educational attainment that the Hispanic population has made over time, demonstrating that success is possible.

About the Author
Mina-Osorio, Paola: - Paola Mina-Osorio is a Hispanic physician-scientist who lives in the Greater New York City area and who has spent the last 15 years of her career as an immunology researcher focusing on the discovery and development of new treatments for chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. She has published extensively in the scientific literature in both peer-reviewed journals and medical books.