Educating minorities to become health professionals to help eliminate health disparities

The low quality of health care provided to patients of underserved minority populations strongly relates to the low percentage of minority healthcare professionals. Although greater than 25% of the U.S. demography is composed of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and American Indians, a much lower percentage of members of these minority groups have pursued careers in healthcare. A study by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) revealed that an increase percentage of minority healthcare professionals would help eliminate health disparities. The Sullivan Commission on Diversity in the Health Workforce concurs with the results of the IOM study believing that underrepresentation of minorities working in healthcare is detrimental to the quality of health care provided to underserved minority populations. Since minority healthcare professionals are more likely than their White counterparts to render health care to underserved minority populations, a more diverse healthcare workforce would increase the manpower needed to accomplish this goal. A dual enrollment program co-sponsored by Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD), Detroit Public Schools (DPS), and the Detroit Medical Center (DMC) consists of high school students enrolled in college courses in order to pursue careers in healthcare. At the completion of this dual enrollment program, students will earn a high school diploma, an associate of science degree, and a laboratory coat from the Detroit Medical Center. As a professor at Wayne County Community College District, I teach biology to DPS dual enrollment students who are minorities actively pursuing careers in various healthcare disciplines such as nursing, medicine, pharmacy, and allied health. After graduation, students will continue their education in order to become certified in their perspective fields of study. As future healthcare professionals, they would help serve the residents of Detroit who are predominantly African Americans and often are uninsured or underinsured. Educating minorities to become healthcare professionals would help eliminate health disparities manifesting in the city of Detroit as well as throughout the nation.