Progress Through Persistence: A 60 Year History of Yale School of Medicine’s Minority Organization for Retention and Expansion (MORE)

Fight for Admissions

Integral to the success of MORE's goals among YSM faculty is the presence of a diverse population of medical students and residents who are the faculty of the future, whether they stay at Yale or move to another institution. The history of medical student admissions provides important context for MORE and remains deeply entwined with the group's progress today. Early, if unusual, success in retention helped YSM retain individuals who would be crucial to the formation of MORE decades later.

Descendant of Cortlandt Van Rensselaer Creed reads Creed's Medical Thesis, 2006

A Surprising Admissions History

Yale's minority admissions rate roughly equalled that of medical schools around the country in the late 1960s with one black student matriculating in about every other class. However, a glance backwards shows that this rate fell well behind that of one century prior.  The first medical student of color admitted to Yale was Cortlandt Van Rensselaer Creed as a member of YSM’s class of 1857. African American graduates were also present in 1875 and 1876, and 12 graduated between 1880 and 1888. At a time when a racially diverse medical student body was uncommon, Yale appeared to be a progressive leader. This was unfortunately short-lived, as 1888 also marked a turning point after which YSM rejected racial inclusion and refused to admit African American students for the next six decades. Beatrix A. McCleary broke this pattern in 1948 and for the next two decades, one student of color was admitted in approximately every other class. [1]

YSM Class of 1948 featuring Beatrix McCleary front row fourth from left

1960s: Picking the Fight

With the Civil Rights Movement gaining momentum, the backdrop of legal cases such as Brown v. Board of Education put pressure on national organizations such as the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the American Medical Association (AMA) to take steps to increase the number of Black and minority students in medicine. [2] In 1968, the AAMC made an announcement that the doors of predominantly white institutions must be clearly open to students of color, encouraging them to consider applying outside of HBCUs. An official task force was also put together to work toward the further expansion of educational opportunities for minority students. [3] 

Within YSM, Comer made it his priority to address what he described as the institution's “unacceptable, unspoken admission quota." He worked alongside fellow faculty of color Augustus White and Claudewell Thomas, the three securing places on the admissions committee. [4]  Progress was swift, with YSM admitting 7 Black students across the classes of 1969 and 1970, breaking the precedent of 1 or 2. This number climbed further to about 10 Black students per class, where it would hover for the following two decades. [5]

YSM Class of 1970

YSM Class of 1980

Leaders of Today

Forrester "Woody" Lee, Class of 1979; Gary Désir and Deborah Dyett, Class of 1980

This uptick in admissions helped provide the roots of the school's minority community as a handful of the medical students of color in these classes stayed at YSM for their residencies and fellowships and were hired as faculty. Notable examples are Gary Vincent Désir, MD, and Deborah Désir (nee Dyett), MD, who met over a cadaver in their 1976 anatomy lab. [6] Almost 50 years later, Gary Désir is the chair of Internal Medicine, YSM's largest department, and serves as the Vice Provost for Diversity and Faculty Development. He was YSM's first chairperson of African descent. Deborah Désir is a Professor of Rheumatology and the President elect of the American College of Rheumatology. Forrester “Woody” Lee, MD, graduated one class ahead of the Désirs. He stayed in YSM's cardiology department for 42 years and served as Associate Dean for Multicultural Affairs. 

Endnotes: 

[1] Daryl Keith Daniels, “African-Americans at the Yale University School of Medicine: 1810-1960,” Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library, 1991. http://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ymtdl/45

[2] David Acosta and David Skorton, “Racism and Medical Education: Telling the Full Story," AAMC Beyond the White Coat. October 2020.

[3] John Cooper et al, "Report of the AAMC Task Force to the Inter-Association Committee on Expanding Educational Opportunities in Medicine for Blacks and Other Minority Students Membership," Education Resources Information Center, 1970.

[4] Comer interview, June 21, 2021.

[5] Reginald Keith Franklin, "A Study of Black Medical Students at Three Medical Schools." Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library, 1974. https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2608&context=ymtdl

[6] Gary Vincent Désir, interviewed by Sabrina Mellinghoff, June 23, 2021.