MESA, AZ — Advocating for students of all backgrounds to help them achieve their dreams in the medical field. That was part of the mission behind the Black Men in White Coats summit, which took place Saturday at A.T. Still University in Mesa, in partnership with the Academic Medical Consortium of Arizona.
The goal is to connect young Black men and other students of color to careers in the healthcare industry. The summit also introduces students to mentors and people working in the field right now to let them know anything is possible.
"It's really to nurture young people into a dream of becoming a health professional," explains Clinton Normore, Chief Diversity Officer at A.T. Still University. "Whether that's being a doctor or a dentist or any other of our allied health programs, we want to inspire them for that journey."
According to 2023 data from the Association of Medical Colleges, less than six percent of medical doctors in the U.S. identify as Black or African American, even though they represent about 12% of the overall population.
Other studies show that healthcare outcomes improve for patients when they have access to diverse providers.
