Participation of minority students within health science career preparation programs is investigated in this study from the University of Washington. The history of minority admissions to medical and nursing schools throughout the country is reviewed. Health sciences programs for minorities at the university are discussed and the impact of the Preprofessional Program for Minority Students is assessed. Special biology, physics, and mathematics courses for Equal Opportunity Program students are described. An overview of each health science program at the University of Washington is included for the Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, and Nursing, the Clinical Dietetics Program, Prosthetics and Orthodontics Program, and the Physical Therapy Program. Among the variables investigated by a survey of University of Washington minority students interested in the health sciences were: enrollment status, courses taken and grades received; work and volunteer experiences; sources of health science interest; grade point averages; and for those no longer enrolled, reasons for leaving the University. Survey results indicate a high attrition rate, 63 percent, for minority students in the health science field. Many factors were found to contribute to students' decisions to drop out including both academic and personal reasons. Along with statistical summaries of these data, the report includes suggestions for further research and a copy of the survey instrument. (Author/SF)