On Sept. 29, the AAMC, the National Medical Association (NMA), and the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) jointly hosted a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference session entitled, “A Real Emergency: Working to Increase the Representation of Black Men in Medicine.”
Speakers included Antonio Bush, director of Research, Diversity and Inclusion at the AAMC; Derek Robinson, MD, vice president and chief medical officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois; Joseph Tyndall, MD, executive vice president for Health Affairs and dean of Morehouse School of Medicine; Kylar Wiltz, a medical student at Howard University College of Medicine; and Nate Hughes, MD, an anesthesiology resident at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
The session focused on how the dearth of Black men in medicine has negatively impacted health equity and patient care. The speakers discussed the historic policies and practices that contributed to the lack of Black male medical students and providers. They identified ways that leadership can take accountability and systems-based solutions and interventions that can increase representation and build a stronger academic infrastructure.
The session reinforced the AAMC’s legislative priorities to diversify the workforce and work under the association's strategic plan to increase the number of diverse medical school applicants and matriculants.
Following the session, the hosts held a reception featuring remarks from Philip Alberti, PhD, founding director of the AAMC Center for Health Justice. The AAMC and the NMA are also jointly sponsoring an Action Collaborative and are hosting an inaugural Strategy Summit for Black Men in Medicine on Oct. 20-21 at the AAMC headquarters.
- Washington Highlights