The African-American doctors on Bravo's latest hit, "Married to Medicine," make the world of minority physicians look glamorous: big houses, a professional circle that shares their ethnicity and plenty of parties.

Students at the Howard University College of Medicine petitioned the show because of its depictions of cat fighting and backstabbing, but "Married to Medicine" is still a hit. Its premiere on March 24 drew 1.9 million viewers, according to a release from the cable channel.

Unlike the show, the reality for prospective M.D.s and current physicians can be far more challenging for underrepresented minorities. The Association of American Medical Colleges defines this group as "those whose numbers in medicine are disproportionately lower than in the general population," such as African-Americans, Mexican-Americans and some Asian subgroups. In the 2011-2012 school year, only 1,332 African-American candidates and 1,701 U.S. Hispanic candidates were accepted into U.S. medical schools, according to the AAMC.

[Determine if a career in medicine is right for you.]

Diversity experts advise prospective students to be selective - both in their applications to medical schools and residencies, and where they choose to practice - in order to be successful in an industry where most of their colleagues come from different racial and religious backgrounds.

"We know from the research that minority medical students face disproportional feelings of isolation and a lack of empowerment," says Monica Vela, associate dean for multicultural affairs at the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Medicine.

Speaking with current students and faculty can help candidates gauge a school's diversity climate, says Vela, who advises prospective students to evaluate schools on three basic points.

"Find an institution that clearly supports both service, community outreach and research that focuses on minority health and ending health care disparities," says Vela, who is also a faculty member for the Latino Medical Student Association. LMSA, one of several professional organizations for aspiring and current Latino physicians, has about 3,000 members. It provides mentoring and scholarships for medical school students, among other resources.

[Learn what it means to be a disadvantaged M.D. applicant.]

Another organization serving underrepresented minorities is the Islamic Medical Association of North America, which offers seminars and mission trips to countries like Sudan and Haiti.

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Consider Medical School Choice Carefully as a Minority Student