An experiential learning program for undergraduate students interested in eliminating health disparities

One strategy for eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities in the US is to increase the diversity of public health professionals committed to, and engaged in, developing public health and health care policies and programs.

The University of Michigan's Summer Enrichment Program in Health Care Management and Policy (SEP) was begun in 1986 as a way of attracting undergraduate students of color from across the country to the field of health care management and policy. The program provides twenty undergraduate students per year with experiential learning opportunities in various health care and public health settings in Detroit and other communities in Southeast Michigan. It also provides students the opportunity to learn about the social determinants of health and health disparities, and to meet with health leaders who are committed to eliminating disparities. By enabling these students to gain experience in organizations that serve populations whose health status is adversely affected by macro-level social and economic forces, SEP hopes to solidify the students' commitment to careers in public health devoted to eliminating health disparities.

The SEP has been highly successful in enlarging the pool of students of color who have attended graduate programs in public health and, especially, in health management and policy. Through 24 years, 450 students have completed the SEP and over 125 alumni have attended graduate programs in public health. Others pursue the elimination of health disparities through other professions. Many SEP alumni now occupy leadership positions in health organizations throughout the US.