If you are an HBCU student enrolled in biomedical or health science courses, there’s a scholarship opportunity for you through The American Heart Association. The leading public health nonprofit organization launched the scholarship to address the disparities in the medical industry. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, only 8 percent of medical students and 5 percent of physicians are African-American.
American Heart Association volunteer president, professor of medicine, and admissions dean at the University of California-San Francisco School of Medicine Michelle A. Albert, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, shared that since 2015, this initiative has helped many African-American students increase representation and equity in the healthcare field.
“The American Heart Association HBCU Scholars program has helped change the trajectory of dozens of under-represented students in science and medicine by fostering their talent, preparedness, and growth to pursue careers in biomedical science.
“As champions for health care quality and access for all, the American Heart Association is committed to building the pipeline of diverse persons in medicine and empowering the next generation of research and health care professionals.”
STEM students selected for the program this year will study how the social determinants of health and other health disparities impact underserved communities. They will also participate in scientific research projects and present their findings at the end of the program.
