title: American Indians and Alaska Natives: how do they find their path to medical school?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) remain underrepresented in the medical profession. This study sought to understand the supports and barriers that AI/AN students encountered on their path to successful medical school entry.
  
  
  METHODS
  The research team analyzed qualitative semistructured, one-on-one, confidential interviews with 10 AI/AN medical students to identify salient support and barrier themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Supports and barriers clustered in eight categories: educational experiences, competing career options and priorities, health care experiences, financial factors, cultural connections, family and friends, spirituality, and discrimination. Some of the most notable findings of this study include the following: (1) students reported financial barriers severe enough to constrain participation in the medical school application process, and (2) spirituality played an important role as students pursued a medical career.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Promoting AI/AN participation in medical careers can be facilitated with strategies appropriate to the academic, financial, and cultural needs of AI/AN students.
authors.forename: Walter B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Hollow
authors.forename: Davis G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: Polly M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: Laura-Mae
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Baldwin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000413:Alaska; D002321:Career Choice; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D029181:Spirituality; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D014861:Washington