MEDICAL DISCRIMINATION

To the Editors of The Crimson:

Poor people have had difficulty going to medical school in this country. In 1960-63, one-third of medical students came from the top 3 per cent economic bracket, whereas only 12 per cent came from the lowest half of the population. It goes without saying that that half contains more whites than people of color, though because of racial discrimination, the latter constitute a disproportionate fraction of the poor and near-poor.

The injustice that is implicit in this situation cannot be righted by poor whites fighting with people of color over the few crumbs that are being thrown them. Whereas Blacks constitute about 12 per cent of the population, the medical school classes of '72 contained fewer than 3 per cent Blacks. The classes of '73 contained 5 per cent non-whites (which includes Orientals, Puerto Ricans, Chicanos, Native Americans and Blacks).

There is no question that poor whites are discriminated against, but this discrimination is exercised by the white institutions and must be redressed by them. Poor whites must turn to the medical schools that are excluding them, not compete with other disadvantaged groups for places in programs such as the Harvard Health Careers Summer Program, which was designed to serve the special needs of minority students. Ruth Hubbard   Lecturer