Increasing inclusivity in the medical profession is critical to providing care that meets the needs of diverse patient populations and reduces health disparities.

That’s part of why the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine actively seeks students with a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.

Our efforts were recently acknowledged by U.S. News & World Report in its 2023 Best Medical Schools study, in which the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine ranked as the 6th most diverse medical school in the nation — and the 2nd most diverse in California.

Since the school’s inception, it’s taken an inclusive approach to the admissions process, evaluating applicants based on their full experience and actively recruiting students from a wide variety of institutions.

“Promoting inclusiveness and diversity in medical education and the medical profession is one of our school’s core values,” said Mark Schuster, MD, PhD, founding dean and chief executive officer of the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine. “The concepts of equity, inclusion, and diversity inform so much of what we do, and we continue to look for ways to become a more and more inclusive school. We are honored to be recognized as one of the most diverse medical schools in the country.”

Study methodology

To select the most diverse medical schools, U.S. News first looked at the percentage of people in the school’s state who are members of historically underrepresented groups. Specifically, it looked at the percentage of people who are Black or African American, Latino, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander. Then, it compared that percentage to the percentage of underrepresented students enrolled in each school as of fall 2021.