York state”™s first Youth Summit in partnership with Black Men in White Coats, a national organization that seeks to increase the number of black and brown individuals in the field of medicine. The full-day summit was held on Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Sonesta White Plains Downtown hotel.
More than 200 middle and high school students, educators, parents, physicians and community leaders attended the day of hands-on activities, educational panels and networking with health care professionals from diverse backgrounds.
“Our goal in partnering with Black Men in White Coats is to inspire Westchester”™s young people of color and show them that a career in medicine is exciting, rewarding and also achievable,” said Master of Ceremonies Dean Akbar, senior director of human resources and talent development and chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee at White Plains Hospital.
Dr. Mill Etienne delivered the keynote address, sharing his experience in health care and the importance of representation in the field. Etienne serves as vice chancellor for DEI, associate dean for student affair and associate professor of neurology and medicine at New York Medical College.
In breakout learning sessions, middle school and high school students participated in hands-on demonstrations while parents, educators and health care professionals attended a panel discussion on “How to Raise a Doctor,”
The event closed with a panel discussion, “Black Men in White Coats,” focused on overcoming the barriers to increasing representation in health care.
“Our goal for every event is for the students and their parents to come away with an expanded view of the possibilities for their futures,” said Dr. Dale Okorodudu, Founder of Black Men in White Coats.
In 2013, the Association of American Medical Colleges released an alarming report informing the nation that the already low number of black men applicants to medical school was decreasing. Since then, Black Men in White Coats has sought to increase the number of black men in the field.
