"As Native Heritage Month is celebrated in Oklahoma and across the nation, an alarming fact should be highlighted: Indian Country has a shortage of tribal members becoming doctors or healers.

American Association of Medical Colleges data show that the number of American Indians accepted into medical schools has substantially and steadily declined over the past eight years. In 2004, 465 American Indians applied for medical school and 202 enrolled. By 2011, those numbers had declined to 379 and 157, respectively.

This is troubling because the general population numbers for American Indians are climbing. The U.S. Census Bureau shows an 18 percent increase over the past 10 years. The national population today includes more than 5 million American Indians."

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Margaret Knight: In Indian Country, too few tribal members becoming doctors (The Oklahoman 11/19)