Good afternoon, Chicago ✶
When Valerie Santos thinks about why she pursued medicine, she thinks of her grandmother, who emigrated from Guatemala.
Ten years ago, her grandmother was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer and died shortly after. Santos, 28, wonders if a Spanish-speaking doctor leading her grandmother’s care could have caught the disease earlier.
Now Santos, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Illinois Chicago, worries that other patients could see similar obstacles if progress toward increasing diversity in medical students slows down following the Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 that race cannot be a factor in college admissions.
In today’s newsletter: a look at what medical school enrollment data shows so far.
Plus: Chicagoans with ties to Ukraine reflect; a tax credit experts say few take advantage of; and more community news you need to know below. 👇
⏱️: A 7-minute read
TODAY’S TOP STORY
Medical schools enroll fewer Black and Latino students after affirmative action ban
Reporting by Mary Norkol
Diversity drop: Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2023 ruling that race cannot be a factor in college admissions, enrollment for both Black and Latino medical school students fell by more than 10% nationally for the 2024-25 school year, according to figures released by the American Association of Medical Colleges.
Illinois trend: The number of Latino students from Illinois who enrolled in medical schools nationally dropped 42.6% between the 2023-24 school year and this school year, according to AAMC data. The number of Black students fell by 6.5%, while mixed-race students decreased by 8.3%. Meanwhile, the number of white students rose by 13.2%.
Chicago outlook: The University of Illinois College of Medicine saw an overall drop in Black students between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years, even though total enrollment increased to 1,334 students, AAMC data shows. The other five medical schools in the Chicago area didn’t have large fluctuations in the number of students of color in their overall student bodies in the last year.
Reasons for concern: Diversity advocates say the shifts in Illinois and nationwide are concerning as the country faces a physician shortage. Research by the National Institutes of Health in 2021 showed that diversity in the medical field increased cultural competency and improved patient outcomes.
WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?
- War in Ukraine: Chicagoans with ties to Ukraine are on edge as President Donald Trump has taken a softer stance against Russia, which invaded Ukraine three years ago and has been at war with Kyiv ever since.
- Parade shooting trial update: Lake County prosecutors moved to dismiss more than 40 counts of aggravated battery against the suspect in the Highland Park parade shooting as jury selection got off to a slow start Monday — the first day of a trial that could last over a month.
- Patients speak out: Lurie Children’s Hospital stopped gender-care surgeries for patients younger than 19 following an executive order from President Donald Trump. Some families worry other gender-affirming care also will cease.
- 3.5 stars for ‘Golden Hour’: Joffrey Ballet turns on the charm in its new, superbly danced mixed repertoire program, writes Kyle MacMillan in a review for the Sun-Times.
TAX GUIDE 2025 💵
Illinois expanded tax credits for some workers and families, but the money isn’t being claimed, experts say
Reporting by Reema Saleh | For the Sun-Times
Tax change: This tax season, the Illinois earned income tax credit is set to put money back more money back in parents’ wallets. Illinois expanded its earned income tax credit in 2024, giving low- to moderate-income workers a bigger break on their 2023 state income tax filings.
Unclaimed money: Many taxpayers who receive the federal EITC are unaware that the state program exists. Workers who qualify for the federal EITC generally qualify for the Illinois EITC, since the requirements are similar.
How it works: The Illinois EITC helps workers with low wages by reducing their taxable income. If the credit reduces their tax burden to less than zero, the extra money is refunded.
Don’t forget: Some filers could benefit from taking advantage of the state’s first-ever child tax credit, which offers relief to parents struggling with rising living costs.
Who qualifies: Parents with children under 12 who qualify for the Illinois EITC are eligible to claim the CTC.
BRIGHT ONE ✨
Polar Adventure Day draws a winter crowd to the Southeast Side
Reporting by Erica Thompson
In 30-degree weather, Polar Adventure Day wasn’t exactly an Arctic tundra on Saturday.
Still, there was enough snow on the ground at Big Marsh Park in South Deering for throwing snowballs, sledding, and for at least one curious 2-year-old, eating.
A team of huskies may not have gotten very far pulling traditional sleds, but they did just fine hauling bikes and three-wheeled rigs down a snowy path.
And it was still cold enough to sip hot cocoa on the house.
In other words, the free, annual event provided a comfortable way for families to celebrate the season outdoors. And hundreds turned out.
Polar Adventure Day started in Northerly Island Park in 2005 and moved to the Southeast Side after a fire that damaged Northerly Island Park Fieldhouse.
In addition to meeting the huskies, patrons could watch live ice-sculpting, interact with a huge, roaming dinosaur puppet, take a “forest therapy” hike, make crafts, meet live reptiles and amphibians and participate in slacklining.
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