Hahahaha!!!
Fuckin' Joe uses the term "affirmative action" so everyone thinks that is what he is talking about, but he is really talking about something else.
Talk about filling medical service needs in rural communities, Joe. Just do not call it affirmative action, you stooge.
If that is the discussion, then the solution is incentivizing doctors to work in those areas. Accepting sub-standard applicants into medical school is not a good solution because you will tend to get sub-standard doctors if the sub-standard students by some fluke actually graduate.
But you've failed to acknowledge that some medical schools do give preferential treatment to applicants who will fulfill manpower shortages. So if they are chosen over other applicants with higher grades, then this does constitute preferential treatment.
Yes, some White applicants get preferential treatment if they are from remote regions over those with higher grades.
And I think if such a measure fulfills a manpower shortage, most would agree that this is preferable to flying in a city doctor at high cost who does not live in those communities.
Joe those people still have to get through med school
They chose those with the best grades because those people are far more likely to pass the vigorous and intense medical education and training that takes place in med school.
Getting a high GPA and getting accepted is the easiest part. It's all insanely harder after that.
And they cant make it easier because it's already a lot of condensed info. They are not just learning facts....they have to learn to apply them and think clinically. Even nurses would ball up and cry a few months into med school.
If you want it bad enough....you'll get the required GPA and you are much more likely to stick it out and pass.
Believe it or not, what you are suggesting is a nice thought....but it would actually cause a bigger problem and much more of a shortage.
Let's pretend 20 people applied for the only ten spots. Let's say they take 5 who have the required gpa and allow 5 who do not.
Now instead of ten grads and ten new docs? We MIGHT have 6. Or even just 5.....and I'm including one of the low gpa people who decided to bust ass and found medicine was his/her calling. There is always that one outlier who well exceeds all expectations. He/she isnt the norm though.
See the problem? Let's not waste spots in med school on people who are VERY unlikely to stick with it and graduate. Also what will eventually happen is....no one will work to meet the gpa requirements. Eventually there will be no predictors on who should get the spot. Med schools could end up accepting a whole group where NONE of them make it.
See this wouldnt be helping any rural areas. It would just be wrecking med school.
Like Prowler said....incentives work. Sweeten the pot for doctors and they will come. It works for nurses, too.