NHMA Congressional Briefing on How to Increase Latinos in Medical School
NHMA Congressional Briefing on How to Increase Latinos in Medical School
August 14, 2023
As we reflect on the Supreme Court decision to stop higher education race-based admissions, here are key policies and programs that were discussed at our 2023 Congressional Briefing in July:
Congressman Raul Ruiz discussed the need to continue working with Congressmembers as we have been on the need for policies to expand opportunities for students to be more prepared to move from high school to college, from college to graduate school. He thanked us for our advocacy for his legislation to change Hispanic funding from education to build mentoring and counseling for medical school admissions.
HRSA Administrator Johnson discussed the need for continued support of the diversity programs for underrepresented students (HCOP, COE, scholarships) and support of the new initiative at HRSA, if funded by Congress, to build innovative pathways to medicine and other health professions that are grounded in underserved areas in the country - first new program started since the 1980s.
AAMC Diversity champion Norma Poll Hunter reported that there is a reimagining happening at the AAMC to enhance the holistic admissions to medical schools that look at applicants beyond grades and test scores and to train admissions committee members better to continue to have diversity in their schools.
The National Education Association executive reported that higher education leaders are also coming up with support for our Hispanic students to increase their numbers in colleges. The White House Hispanic Education office is key to hearing your ideas.
Lastly, I focused on showcasing the NHMA College Health Scholars Program, funded by the HHS Office of Minority Health from 2017-2022, which successfully reached 2000 participants - college students and mentors from medical students and physicians and others-- and shared the importance of mentoring to prepare more Hispanics to apply to medical school. We worked with several partners in LA: GMiS, CDU, UCLA, USC, UCR, and Stanford, and in San Antonio: Incarnate Word University, UT Health San Antonio, and in DC: recruiters from across the nation. NHMA will continue the CHSP by mentoring college students who join NHMA as members this Academic Year, September to June - who will have access to our webinars, discussion prompts, and personal mentoring. For more information, visit nhmamd.org/programs and sign up now. We need to work together - nonprofits, institutions, and government- to increase the number of Latino physicians who are critically needed in our communities.