By Victor Omondi
Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit is on a mission to “inspire the next generation of physician leaders and to diversify the field of medicine with a special emphasis on black males.” Dr. Dale Okorodudu of Dallas Texas is the founder of the movement. He recently arranged a youth summit whose objective is to instill passion for medicine in Black boys.
Dr. Okorodudu aired out his concerns about the declining number of black males in the field of medicine over the years and said, “Some alarming data came out that the number of Black men applying to the field of medicine was decreasing. There were actually less in 2011 than there was in 1978.”
In such a backdrop, Dr. Okorodudu held the pioneer Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit in UT Southwestern this past Sunday, which a significantly large number of students from third-graders to middle and high school students turned up for. They experienced impartation from professionals such as educators, clinicians, and community leaders.
For the youth of color, some of the skill tutorials carried out were CPR training, how to make a splint tutorial, and anatomy exploration. Parents that attended along with their elementary students were also enlightened on how to nurture their young ones in line with the career path.
Brittany Drake, who was among the parents that attended with their children told Fox 4 News, “I think it’s good to see the representation, to see someone that looks like them who has gone through the career pathway, so that way, they know that it’s very feasible. That it’s very possible for them.”
The youth were motivated to put their mind towards achieving their goals. The whole idea is to provide direction, empower them, and to encourage proactiveness in their pursuit for their long-term educational and career objectives.
“I think it’s something to see somebody that looks like you, to inspire you, to help you know that it’s possible to come through this process and become a physician,” said Dr. Emeka Etufugh.
