Pursuing a Medical Career While Black: What it Takes and Why it Matters

On Becoming a Healer

Making it into and through medical school is tough even for those who have all the advantages: excellent schools starting at a young age, well-educated parents who may be doctors themselves, lots of role models and…white skin.

In this episode we hear from two pre-meds and one newly minted physician, all Black, about their journeys with few of these advantages. Despite their remarkable optimism, their burdens are evident, and many do seem tied to race, as it is understood in the US.

The extreme underrepresentation of Blacks in medicine should be a source of deep concern for the profession and for society, as a matter of social justice as well as patient care. The passion of these young men and woman is inspiring, and the mentorship opportunities provided by pipeline programs like the I Am Abel Foundation which has been central to their lives, offers hope. To learn more about I Am Abel, check out "Season 1, Episode 6: Hope and Healing for Those Who Follow" of our podcast. To support the Foundation’s commitment to mentoring talented students see: https://www.iamabel.org/donate

Guests: Korinne Carr, Josh Leake, Eseosa (“Sosa”) Aiwerioghene