According to Native medical students, there are immense financial and systematic barriers in the way of native students pursuing careers in the medical field. Groups like the American Indian Center of Chicago and the Association of Native Medical Students are impactful in native student’s trajectory towards pursuing these career paths.
Experts believe having more Native Americans in the medical field would increase trust in the medical care natives are receiving. They think a native person is going to be more considerate of cultural differences when providing care, and that having native doctors will not only better care for patients, but would also provide representation for students who otherwise might not see someone like them working as a doctor or nurse.