***Media Advisory: Thursday, April 27th at 3:00 PM***
Congresswoman Wilson and the Caucus on the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys to Host Briefing on Black Men and Boys in Medicine
WASHINGTON, DC— Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24), Founder and Chair of the Caucus on the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys, will host a congressional briefing on Black Men and Boys in Medicine. The briefing is in partnership with the Action Collaborative, an effort of the National Medical Association (NMA), the oldest and largest national organization representing Black physicians, and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to address the scarcity of Black male physicians and Black men and boys in the pipeline to become physicians.
Currently, Black men account for roughly 3% of doctors, a concerning statistic given that research from the Journal of the American Medical Association indicated that Black patients have a better experience and are more likely to be honest with Black doctors. NMA and AAMC are working to address the paucity of Black men in medicine systemically, partnering with universities, K-12 schools, and community-based organizations to increase the number of Black male doctors. The rates of Black male doctors are continuing downward trends, as noted by a 2014 report by the AAMC that points to fewer Black men in medical school in 2014 than in 1978. Although there has been a slight uptick in the number of Black men in medical school, much work still needs to be done.
The briefing will include representatives from AAMC, NMA, Young Doctors Project, licensed physicians, and students from Howard University College of Medicine to discuss the need to increase opportunities and incentives for Black males to join the medical profession.
Who: Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson
Danielle Turnipseed, JD, MHSA, MPP
Chief Public Policy Officer, Association of American Medical Colleges
Garfield A. D. Clunie, M.D.
National Medical Association, 123rd President
K. Torian Easterling, MD, MPH
Young Doctors Project, Co-Founder
Dwight C. Reynolds, MD, FACEP
Centers for Health Promotion, LLC. President and CEO
Kylar Wiltz, student at Howard University College of Medicine
When: Thursday, April 27 at 3:00 PM
Where: U.S. Capitol Building, North Congressional Meeting Room, CVC 268
RSVP: All media RSVP to karol.molinares@mail.house.gov
