FINDING COMMON GROUND
Advocating for Representation:
Addressing the Shortage of African American Physicians
by Stephanie McGee, MD
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges( AAMC), only 5.7 % of American physicians are Black; 2.6 % are men and 2.8 % are women. This alarming underrepresentation contributes to widening health disparities in underserved communities. In fact, there are fewer African American male physicians in the U. S. than there were in the 1940s.
The mission of the Falls City Medical Society( FCMS), the Louisville affiliate of the National Medical Association( NMA) is to advance the art and science of medicine for people of African descent through education, advocacy and health policy, to promote health and wellness, eliminate health disparities and sustain physician viability. Through our mission, we strive to advocate for current and future African American physicians. We are committed to increasing representation in medicine through outreach, mentorship and support at every stage of the medical journey.
This year, FCMS had the privilege of participating in the“ Health and Wellness Day” at the Kentucky Science Center, part of the Center’ s
“ Science Celebration Days.” Here, children of all ages were able to interact with us, use our equipment and see physicians in their white coats. We also sponsored high school students from the Central High School Premed Magnet Program to attend the Center’ s Pulse of Surgery, where they were able to observe a live surgical procedure from UofL Health Jewish Hospital. These experiences matter: representation and early exposure can spark an interest in medicine for young African American children who need to see physicians who look like them.
FCMS strongly believes in the importance of partnering with institutions that serve young African American students. These partnerships have been beneficial in allowing us to create pathway programs for students interested in medicine. This year we were able to support building the curriculum for the academic school year for Central High School’ s Medical Magnet. We routinely provide the students with shadowing experiences, a standardized test preparation course and equipment for practical labs like dissections and suturing. Other past and current partnership schools include Butler High School, Shawnee High School, Grace James Academy and the West End School.
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