Racial Disparities in Debt Burden Among Underrepresented Medical Students Matched to Orthopaedic
Racial Disparities in Debt Burden Among Underrepresented Medical Students Matched to Orthopaedic Surgery Residency, Bianca Audrey Duah BA, Mark Ehioghae MSc BS, Gonzalo F. Del Rio Montesinos BS, Marsalis C. Brown MD, Lancelot Benn MD, Susan Stephens MD, Addisu Mesfin MD, University of Rochester, Medstar Washington Hospital, J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society
Racial Disparities in Debt Burden Among Underrepresented Medical Students Matched to OrthopaedicSurgery Residencywas presented at the 2025 National Medical Association Assembly Orthopaedic Section by Mark Ehioghae, MSc, BS a medical student at Medical College of Wisconsin.Enhancing diversity within orthopaedic surgery remains essential to improving healthcare access and outcomes in underserved communities and is negatively impacted by disproportionate financial burdens to entry into the field.
The escalating cost of medical education in the U.S. has significantly outpaced inflation over the last 20 years, creating substantial financial pressure for students—especially those from groups underrepresented in medicine (URiM). Studies continue to highlight that Black medical students, in particular, are more likely to graduate with higher levels of debt compared to their peers. This economic burden may play a role in specialty selection, potentially discouraging URiM students from entering competitive fields such as orthopaedic surgery.
Figure 1: 91% of Black students report med school debt (median $230,000)
Figure 2: Black students have the highest pre-medical debt and lowest rates of zero debt
This research investigates the racial differences in projected educational debt and financial stress among URiM students who successfully matched into orthopaedic surgery during a single residency match cycle.The study cohort included a near-even gender distribution (49% male, 51% female), with the majority of respondents identifying as Black (87%) and a smaller percentage as Hispanic or Latino (9%). Most participants held MD degrees (87%) and graduated from public institutions (53%). Additionally, 84% attended medical schools with an affiliated orthopaedic residency program. An overwhelming 89% reported carrying medical school debt, averaging $203,315, while 60% also reported undergraduate debt averaging $43,451.
These findings are consistent with broader national trends, showing that Black medical students continue to face disproportionately high levels of educational debt. Neither attending a medical school with an affiliated orthopaedic residency program nor the school’s geographic location appeared to lessen this financial burden. Additionally, the expenses associated with the residency application process contributed further to students’ financial stress.
