For example, White physicians are less likely to choose primary care jobs most needed in underserved areas (41% vs 55%), less likely to practice in areas designated as underserved by the federal government (6% vs. 12%), and have about half the percentage of Medicaid recipients in their patient population (14% vs 26-31%) than minority physicians . Minority status is one trait that strongly predicts a physician will work with underserved populations. However, the number of minority physicians coming out of medical school peaked in 1996 despite the increasing racial diversity of the U.S. population. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, affirmative action is needed to ensure medical schools produce an adequate number of minority physicians to serve the health of people in poor minority communities.

The leadership of state and federal environmental health agencies, as well as non-profit environmental health groups, remains overwhelmingly white, while environmental illness threatens poor minority communities more than other communities. Recent reports from the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine recommend greater racial diversity among health professionals as vital to achieving environmental justice. In response to the shortage of minority health professionals, the American Medical Association and American Nurses Association have responded with funds and diversity policies as have private foundations such as the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

The response among groups involved in environmental health training has been weak. The only group to make a substantial commitment has been the Association of Environmental Health Academic Programs. Only three of the twenty-four colleges with accredited environmental health programs are minority-serving institutions. However, within the past year AEHAP recruited six new minority-serving institutions to pursue such accreditation.