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Question 11: How many Latino health professionals are practicing in the United States?
Answer: In general, Hispanics1 are severely underrepresented in the health professions, particularly among high-wage occupations such as physicians and surgeons.
• Although Hispanics make up more than one in seven (15.4%) Americans, they account for only about one in 17 (5.9%) health care professionals in the U.S.2
• Latinos compose the smallest share (5.8%) of all currently employed physicians and surgeons in the U.S., followed by non-Hispanic Blacks (6.2%) and Asians (16.6%).3 In 2007, just over 1,100 Hispanics graduated from medical school, representing 6.8% of total graduates.4 (See Figure 1 and Table 1 for a state-by-state breakdown of Hispanic physicians in the U.S.)
• Latinos are also underrepresented in several other critical health professions. They make up about one in 21 (4.7%) registered nurses, one in 14 (7.1%) licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, one in 11 (9.3%) physician assistants, and one in 17 (5.9%) pharmacists.5
• However, Latinos are better represented among professionals in health care service and support occupations (20.2%), such as nursing or home health assistance, which are vital to high-quality health care delivery.6
Answer: In general, Hispanics1 are severely underrepresented in the health professions, particularly among high-wage occupations such as physicians and surgeons.
• Although Hispanics make up more than one in seven (15.4%) Americans, they account for only about one in 17 (5.9%) health care professionals in the U.S.2
• Latinos compose the smallest share (5.8%) of all currently employed physicians and surgeons in the U.S., followed by non-Hispanic Blacks (6.2%) and Asians (16.6%).3 In 2007, just over 1,100 Hispanics graduated from medical school, representing 6.8% of total graduates.4 (See Figure 1 and Table 1 for a state-by-state breakdown of Hispanic physicians in the U.S.)
• Latinos are also underrepresented in several other critical health professions. They make up about one in 21 (4.7%) registered nurses, one in 14 (7.1%) licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, one in 11 (9.3%) physician assistants, and one in 17 (5.9%) pharmacists.5
• However, Latinos are better represented among professionals in health care service and support occupations (20.2%), such as nursing or home health assistance, which are vital to high-quality health care delivery.6
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Endnotes
1 The terms “Hispanic” and “Latino” are used interchangeably by the U.S. Census Bureau and throughout this document to refer to persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central and South American, Dominican, Spanish, and other Hispanic descent; they may be of any race. Furthermore, unless otherwise noted, estimates in this document do not include the 3.9 million residents of Puerto Rico.
2 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, “Household Data Annual Averages,” Table 11: Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, ftp://ftp.bls.gov/pub/special.requests/lf/aat11.txt (accessed April 2009).
3 Ibid.
4 Kaiser Family Foundation, “Distribution of Medical School Graduates by Race/Ethnicity, 2008,” Statehealthfacts.org, http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparetable.jsp?ind=454&cat=9 (accessed April 2009).
5 Ibid.
6 Ibid.
