A new tuition-free, day-long program hopes to encourage more African-American students to consider and pursue medical school.
The event, called “Doctors On Board,” is organized by the Physicians Medical Forum and is open to high school seniors, university and college pre-med students and post-baccalaureate students.
Workshops include admissions and financial aid, medical school preparation, “Life as a Doctor,” and a “mock” clinic with real patients, as well as a seminar for parents of future doctors. At the end of the day, participants will receive a certificate of completion and attend a reception.
According to BlackPR.com, the Association of American Medical Colleges found that the number of African-American medical school applications increased 4.8 percent in 2011. Physicians Medical Forum, based in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay area, is hoping this event and those like it will continue to fuel the increase, which is important for improving “delivery of culturally competent medical care to better meet the needs of African Americans and the community at large.”
“The October 2011 AAMC report is encouraging. This is truly a sign that the pipeline programs are successful and beginning to reach Black and other minority students,” said J. Renee Navarro, PharmD, M.D., vice-chancellor for Diversity & Outreach at the University of California, San Francisco. “Programs like ‘Doctors on Board’ are essential in providing mentorship, linkages and networks for students interested in becoming physicians.”
The event takes place on Feb. 18 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Oakland Marriott City Center in Oakland, Calif. While the event, meals, ceremony and reception are free, interested attendees must submit an application by Feb. 6. The student application is located at
http://www.pmfmd.com/images/PMFDoctorsOnBoardApplication2012final.pdf.