The Minority Ophthalmology Mentoring Program: A Model for Increasing Diversity in Surgical Specialties.

PROBLEM: Ethnic and racial diversity is increasing among medical students, with groups that were historically underrepresented in medicine (underrepresented in medicine) now estimated to constitute 21.5% of medical students.

In 2019, only 5.8% of ophthalmology residents surveyed identified themselves as underrepresented in medicine.

APPROACH: The Minority Ophthalmology Mentoring Program was created in 2018 by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology to help overcome barriers to ophthalmology careers among underrepresented in medicine students and to strengthen their competitiveness for acceptance into residency positions.