Figure 1 shows trends in under-represented
minority (URM) enrollments as a percentage of total enrollments in health professions
schools from 1989 through 1997. The greatest increases are seen in nursing school
URM enrollments which grew from about 12% in 1989 to 16% in 1997, and in schools
of public health, climbing from just over 16% in 1989 to nearly 20% of total enrollments
by 1997. URM enrollments in both pharmacy and allopathic medical schools barely
increased, from 13% to 14% of total enrollments between 1989 and 1997. URM enrollments
in osteopathic medical schools grew from 7% to 8% of total enrollments during
this period. URM enrollments in dental schools declined from just over 12% in
1989 to just under 10% in 1997. URM enrollments in schools of veterinary medicine
remained at about 6% of total enrollments between 1993 and 1997 (data for 1989-92
were not available).