Over the past six years, the University of Colorado has more than tripled the number of racially and ethnically diverse students enrolled in its medical school on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora.

Just 11 percent of the 144 students in the class of 2005 were minorities, compared with 33 percent of the 160 students in last year's graduating class.

The university has made a concerted effort to improve diversity among its students since its accrediting body the Liaison Committee on Medical Education cited the school for "noncompliance" in 2010, when just 106 of 614 students were minorities. The medical school is not scheduled for another visit until 2016-17.

"It was abysmal," said Dr. Rob Winn, associate dean for admissions at the medical school. "Part of the problem here had been the traditional approach that Colorado has mountains, and mountains attract people. That may be true, but it may not attract kids from inner-city Philadelphia."

While grades are important, Winn looks at much more, including standardized tests, life experiences, research activity, clinical participation and especially community service.

"We don't seek diversity, we seek excellence," Winn said. "They need to have the ability to articulate their passion for helping others. That's what taking the job of a doctor is."

Winn and his staff approached the job as a relationship-building exercise. They reached out to student advisers and faculty nationwide to make sure they were aware of CU's program.

The strategy has worked. Over the past decade, the number of applicants to the medical school has increased from 2,148 in 2001 to 5,425 so far this year for just 160 spots. The admissions department interviews 700 students to cull the number.

"If we could expand the class to 400, we'd get 400 amazing students," Winn said.

It's not just ethnic and racial diversity that's important to the university. The admissions department also is seeking geographic diversity. About a third of the school's students were from out of state last year, compared with just 10 percent a few years ago.

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University of Colorado medical school heals diversity gap