PRESIDENT'S COLUMN THE NATIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONIUS PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE NATIONAL MINORITY MENTOR RECRUITMENT NETWORK Carmelita Grady, MHSA Washington, DC
The National Medical Association strongly supports the Mentor Recruitment Network Program. To this end, I have invited Ms Carmelita Grady, Project Director of the Mentor Program, to write this month's President's Column. -Alma R. George, MD President, National Medical Association The National Minority Mentor Recruitment Network (NMMRN) was established in 1989 to provide support to minority students during their medical training. The overall goal of the Network is to increase the number of interested African-American and other minority medical students in the health professions. With relatively few minority physicians available as role models, minority medical students often find themselves alienated and without a strong support network in times of academic, financial, and personal difficulties. The Disadvantaged Minority Health Improvement Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-527) highlighted the glaring need to increase the number of minorities in the Ms Grady is Project Director, National Minority Mentor Recruitment Network, Washington, DC. The National Minority Mentor Recruitment Network (NMMRN) is funded by the US Public Health Service/National Health Service Corps. The Network's purpose is to provide support to minority students during their medical school training and to increase the number of minority physicians in the Public Health Service. Requests for reprints should be addressed to Ms Carmelita Grady, 1012 1 0th St, NW, Washington, DC 20001. 222
health-care profession to serve many of the underserved and indigent communities. African Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanics represent approximately 20% of the population of this nation. However, these minorities constitute only 7% of physicians, 4% of dentists, and 6% of nurses practicing in the United States. Specifically, African-American physicians constituted 0.6% in 1890, 2.7% in 1930, and 3% in 1990. The US Public Health Service (PHS) is the largest health agency in the world, with the single goal of improving the health of the people of the United States. The extent and diversity of PHS accomplishments are vast. Achievements of PHS health professionals include the eradication of measles in the United States; identification of the health consequences of cigarette smoking; development of effective treatment modalities for cancer and heart disease; reduction of incidence and mortality rates of certain forms of cancer; major advances in preventing environmental and occupational health problems; elucidation of the etiology of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), toxic shock syndrome, and legionnaire's disease; and greater clarification of the genetic basis of disease processes. Perhaps the most important, and least heralded, are the primary care professionals who provide health care to underserved populations. From inner-city hospitals to remote, rural clinics and Indian reservations, these health professionals have treated many economically disadvantaged patients who literally had nowhere else to go. JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, VOL. 84, NO. 3
PRESIDENT'S COLUMN
The National Medical Association (NMA) and the PHS have a special interest in increasing the number of minorities in the health professions. The NMMRN is an attempt to address the significant deficiency in the provision of health care to minority and medically underserved populations of this country. Our joint purposes are to identify and to promote strategies that will not only increase the number of qualified African Americans and minorities in the applicant pool, but will also increase the recruitment, training, and retention of minorities in the medical profession. In light of the dearth of minority role models in medicine, it is critical to provide strong support mechanisms through personal associations and mentoring. The development of personal and professional relationships between minority physicians and medical students is important to providing career guidance and advice. Additionally, these relationships help enhance a student's self-esteem and motivation while also addressing personal concerns and interests. Accordingly, the joint goal of the NMA and the PHS is to increase the participation of African-American and other minority medical students in the medical profession in general, and in the National Health Service Corps in particular, in order to address the needs of African Americans and other minority underserved populations. A 1989 survey indicated that of 126 medical schools, 61 had fewer first-year minority students in 1988 than in 1983, and five schools had no first-year minority students. In addition, although the number of black women applicants had increased by about 5%, the number of black men has decreased by 33%. Since then, there has been a slight improvement in the number of minority students applying to and being admitted to medical and other health professional schools. The NMA and PHS are collaborating to assure continuing minority representation in the medical professions. The insufficient number of African-American physicians serving in the African-American community is a direct barrier to access to health care in underserved areas according to Dr George, President of the NMA. With the status of health care in the African-American community in a state of crisis, there is a dire need to increase the number of African-American physicians in our communities. African-American physicians have been responsible for a high percentage of the healthcare services delivered in economically disadvantaged and inner-city communities. Increasing the numbers and percentages of African Americans applying to, enrolling in, graduating from medical schools, and becoming licensed to practice in JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, VOL. 84, NO. 3
the medical profession is the only way to eradicate the insufficient number of African-American physicians serving in the African-American community and society as a whole. The NMA has long recognized this issue. Minority students, especially those from the four underrepresented groups, need individuals as role models who understand the nature and scope of medical practice as a minority practitioner and within communities maintains Dr Leonard E. Lawrence, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, University of Texas at San Antonio. "Students need an opportunity to learn about the 'grass roots' aspects of medical practice. The National Minority Mentor Recruitment Network is designed to address this need." For the most part, states Dr Lawrence, medical education occurs in a tertiary care environment. This environment exists generally within the confines of a medical school or a health science center. The faculty associated with these facilities usually, although not always, has limited contact with the surrounding communities. For the most part, these faculty members are not underrepresented minority individuals. For the underrepresented minority student, this can have a significant impact on learning. Working to increase the number of minority physicians is the responsibility of all physicians. The NMMRN has compiled a national database of minority physicians who have volunteered to serve as mentors to assist minority medical students during their medical training. This provides a link between minority medical students and practicing primary care and other physicians. Students are matched with physicians based on personal interest, practice setting, medical specialty, and geographic location. Through its quarterly newsletter, Network News, the NMMRN disseminates information to more than 3000 Network participants including physicians, medical students, medical school deans, minority affairs officers, and other allied health professionals. Consequently, students are attending local medical society meetings, assisting physicians in their practice settings, and receiving first-hand exposure to the practice of medicine. Many have begun relationships that will extend throughout their medical careers. To continue this proud record, we must increase physician participation. Our goal is to provide a mentor for every African-American medical student in the country. "We can make it happen." If you are interested, call the National Office at (800) 423-3893.
223
The National Medical Association strongly supports the Mentor Recruitment Network Program. To this end, I have invited Ms Carmelita Grady, Project Director of the Mentor Program, to write this month's President's Column. -Alma R. George, MD President, National Medical Association The National Minority Mentor Recruitment Network (NMMRN) was established in 1989 to provide support to minority students during their medical training. The overall goal of the Network is to increase the number of interested African-American and other minority medical students in the health professions. With relatively few minority physicians available as role models, minority medical students often find themselves alienated and without a strong support network in times of academic, financial, and personal difficulties. The Disadvantaged Minority Health Improvement Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-527) highlighted the glaring need to increase the number of minorities in the Ms Grady is Project Director, National Minority Mentor Recruitment Network, Washington, DC. The National Minority Mentor Recruitment Network (NMMRN) is funded by the US Public Health Service/National Health Service Corps. The Network's purpose is to provide support to minority students during their medical school training and to increase the number of minority physicians in the Public Health Service. Requests for reprints should be addressed to Ms Carmelita Grady, 1012 1 0th St, NW, Washington, DC 20001. 222
health-care profession to serve many of the underserved and indigent communities. African Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanics represent approximately 20% of the population of this nation. However, these minorities constitute only 7% of physicians, 4% of dentists, and 6% of nurses practicing in the United States. Specifically, African-American physicians constituted 0.6% in 1890, 2.7% in 1930, and 3% in 1990. The US Public Health Service (PHS) is the largest health agency in the world, with the single goal of improving the health of the people of the United States. The extent and diversity of PHS accomplishments are vast. Achievements of PHS health professionals include the eradication of measles in the United States; identification of the health consequences of cigarette smoking; development of effective treatment modalities for cancer and heart disease; reduction of incidence and mortality rates of certain forms of cancer; major advances in preventing environmental and occupational health problems; elucidation of the etiology of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), toxic shock syndrome, and legionnaire's disease; and greater clarification of the genetic basis of disease processes. Perhaps the most important, and least heralded, are the primary care professionals who provide health care to underserved populations. From inner-city hospitals to remote, rural clinics and Indian reservations, these health professionals have treated many economically disadvantaged patients who literally had nowhere else to go. JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, VOL. 84, NO. 3
PRESIDENT'S COLUMN
The National Medical Association (NMA) and the PHS have a special interest in increasing the number of minorities in the health professions. The NMMRN is an attempt to address the significant deficiency in the provision of health care to minority and medically underserved populations of this country. Our joint purposes are to identify and to promote strategies that will not only increase the number of qualified African Americans and minorities in the applicant pool, but will also increase the recruitment, training, and retention of minorities in the medical profession. In light of the dearth of minority role models in medicine, it is critical to provide strong support mechanisms through personal associations and mentoring. The development of personal and professional relationships between minority physicians and medical students is important to providing career guidance and advice. Additionally, these relationships help enhance a student's self-esteem and motivation while also addressing personal concerns and interests. Accordingly, the joint goal of the NMA and the PHS is to increase the participation of African-American and other minority medical students in the medical profession in general, and in the National Health Service Corps in particular, in order to address the needs of African Americans and other minority underserved populations. A 1989 survey indicated that of 126 medical schools, 61 had fewer first-year minority students in 1988 than in 1983, and five schools had no first-year minority students. In addition, although the number of black women applicants had increased by about 5%, the number of black men has decreased by 33%. Since then, there has been a slight improvement in the number of minority students applying to and being admitted to medical and other health professional schools. The NMA and PHS are collaborating to assure continuing minority representation in the medical professions. The insufficient number of African-American physicians serving in the African-American community is a direct barrier to access to health care in underserved areas according to Dr George, President of the NMA. With the status of health care in the African-American community in a state of crisis, there is a dire need to increase the number of African-American physicians in our communities. African-American physicians have been responsible for a high percentage of the healthcare services delivered in economically disadvantaged and inner-city communities. Increasing the numbers and percentages of African Americans applying to, enrolling in, graduating from medical schools, and becoming licensed to practice in JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, VOL. 84, NO. 3
the medical profession is the only way to eradicate the insufficient number of African-American physicians serving in the African-American community and society as a whole. The NMA has long recognized this issue. Minority students, especially those from the four underrepresented groups, need individuals as role models who understand the nature and scope of medical practice as a minority practitioner and within communities maintains Dr Leonard E. Lawrence, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, University of Texas at San Antonio. "Students need an opportunity to learn about the 'grass roots' aspects of medical practice. The National Minority Mentor Recruitment Network is designed to address this need." For the most part, states Dr Lawrence, medical education occurs in a tertiary care environment. This environment exists generally within the confines of a medical school or a health science center. The faculty associated with these facilities usually, although not always, has limited contact with the surrounding communities. For the most part, these faculty members are not underrepresented minority individuals. For the underrepresented minority student, this can have a significant impact on learning. Working to increase the number of minority physicians is the responsibility of all physicians. The NMMRN has compiled a national database of minority physicians who have volunteered to serve as mentors to assist minority medical students during their medical training. This provides a link between minority medical students and practicing primary care and other physicians. Students are matched with physicians based on personal interest, practice setting, medical specialty, and geographic location. Through its quarterly newsletter, Network News, the NMMRN disseminates information to more than 3000 Network participants including physicians, medical students, medical school deans, minority affairs officers, and other allied health professionals. Consequently, students are attending local medical society meetings, assisting physicians in their practice settings, and receiving first-hand exposure to the practice of medicine. Many have begun relationships that will extend throughout their medical careers. To continue this proud record, we must increase physician participation. Our goal is to provide a mentor for every African-American medical student in the country. "We can make it happen." If you are interested, call the National Office at (800) 423-3893.
223
