A group picture of Sisters in Medicine . Photo by Evan Curry campuses . “ The need [ for the organization ] was always there because of the statistics … after all these years our numbers are still going down instead of going up .”
According to a 2022 physician data report conducted by the Association of American Colleges , only 5.7 percent of actively practicing physicians identify as Black or African American , compared with 63.9 percent White , 20.6 percent Asian and 6.9 percent Hispanic . The crux of those numbers is partially due to the attrition rate of Black males in medical school , Walker said .
“ I think a lot of schools do a great job in recruitment , but I think the ball was being dropped with retention and belonging ,” he explained . “[ Schools ] have tried to strategically recruit underrepresented minority males , but recruitment , retention and belonging are all three different things .”
To bridge the gap between those areas , Brothers in Medicine was birthed , focused specifically on providing a foundation for young students to develop necessary skills to overcome hurdles they may face before , during and throughout their journey towards becoming medical professionals .
Terrence McHugh , a firstyear osteopathic medical student pursuing a career in physical medicine and rehabilitation , said being involved with Brothers in Medicine helps him to stay focused on his goal of serving others as a physician .
“ In the first few years of medical training , you typically spend a lot of time in the classroom before being able to work hands-on with patients . … It ’ s very easy to get lost in the coursework and lose sight of our reasons for pursuing a service-oriented profession ,” McHugh explained . “ Through my involvement in Brothers in Medicine , I ’ ve found a wonderful group of colleagues who are eager to give back to the Moultrie community . Working with the organization has allowed all of us to work with the community early in our education , and to re-center our time in school around the people that we aim to serve as physicians .”
When Dr . Jennifer Mitchell first arrived at PCOM South Georgia , she was pleasantly surprised at the various initiatives in place for and by Brothers in Medicine . However , her first inquiry upon meeting Walker was , “ what about the women ?”
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