Dozens of students, medical professionals and hospital executives convene at Queens’ Elmhurst Hospital for “Healthcare Professionals That Look Like Me”
Last week, on Saturday, September 28, the Healthcare Education Project and the National Hispanic Medical Association’s (NHMA) New York chapter hosted “Healthcare Professionals That Look Like Me,” an informational panel and workshop to encourage New York’s young Latinos to seek careers in healthcare.
Latinos and other minority communities are vastly underrepresented in the medical workforce. Although nearly 20 percent of Americans are Latinos, they represent only 6 percent of physicians, and a single-digit percent share of dentists, surgeons, and nurse practitioners, according to Dr. Diana Torres-Burgos, NHMA’s Hispanic Health Advisor.
“Young people need role models,” Dr. Torres-Burgos added. “I had no one around me.”
Communities need to see themselves represented in the healthcare workforce and identify with the people who care for them. Latinos report greater dissatisfaction with their interactions with doctors, which leads to poorer care and worse health outcomes. A lack of representation has been shown to exacerbate health disparities and is a major barrier to achieving good health.
“Healthcare Professionals That Look Like Me” was held at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, the borough’s largest hospital and the second-oldest municipal hospital in the city. The daylong event began with presentations from medical experts, hospital administrators, healthcare advocates, and professionals who discussed the challenges of entering their field.
Presenters and speakers included Elmhurst Hospital CEO Helen Arteaga-Landaverde, NHMA President Dr. Gilbert Burgos, NHMA Executive Board Member Dr. Elizabeth Lee Ray, and NHMA New York Chapter Chairs Dr. Judith Flores and Dr. Cristina Guillen. Dora Acevedo, a nurse practitioner at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, explained that her work allowed her to travel the world and gain new experiences in Puerto Rico, Guatemala and India, assisting in crisis situations and working with indigenous people.
After the panel, approximately 70 local high school, college, and medical students broke into groups to discuss their ambitions and challenges with mostly Hispanic medical professional specialists from pediatrics, family medicine, internal medicine, preventive medicine, psychiatry and nursing. Students who expressed interest will receive six months of mentorship, including career guidance and resources. Students were also connected to 1199SEIU Training and Employment Funds’ Career Pathway Training Program to take advantage of tuition assistance, if qualified.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Samuel Bloch, Communications Manager, Samuel.Bloch@1199funds.org
