White Plains Hospital hosted the second annual Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit, a daylong program with a focus this year on pathology, designed to open doors to underrepresented students interested in careers in medicine and to broaden the talent pipeline in healthcare.
The event brought together middle and high school students, parents, educators, clinicians and medical students for inspiration, networking, mentorship and hands-on demonstrations from members of the Montefiore Einstein pathology department. There is currently a critical nationwide shortage of pathology laboratory staff, which amplifies the need for additional representation in the field in order to improve accurate diagnoses, patient outcomes and disease prevention.
“We want students to think early about what they need to do to have a career in medicine—have early clinical and research exposures, find mentors and focus on specific goals,” said Kathleen D. Whitney, MD, Director, Surgical Pathology, Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, Montefiore Einstein.
“Children want to become what they see; you can’t imagine what you’ve never been exposed to,” said Denise Dailey, MD, PGY-4 and Chief Pathology Resident, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Dr. Dailey was one of several members of the Pathology Department who helped shine a light on pathology opportunities that many students interested in medical careers might not know about, including laboratory director, lab assistant, technician, technologist and physician assistant. Dr. Whitney, drawing from her journey sparked by an interest in forensics as a college student, underscored the importance of setting goals and early exposure to a laboratory setting.
Dr. Dailey, along with Maria Frias, Pathology Assistant, Montefiore Einstein, and Sun Min Cho, MS, Clinical Laboratory Supervisor, White Plains Hospital, engaged with high school students in an interactive panel discussion on anatomic pathology and laboratory medicine and led a case study diagnosing abdominal pain in a pediatric patient. There were also hands-on demonstrations with preserved organs that the students could see and ask questions about. To encourage curiosity, students received colorful rubber brains whenever they asked or answered questions during the sessions.
“I learned a lot about different fields in medicine,” said 14-year-old Winston Pereira, who spent the day at the conference. “I also learned that for all of them, you need to get good grades and spend a lot of time working hard.”
“Engaging immersion events such as the White Coats for Black Men Youth Summit serve as an important way to inspire and educate the next generation of health professionals,” said Lynne M. Holden, MD, Attending Physician, Emergency Medicine, Montefiore Einstein, and Professor, Emergency Medicine, and Senior Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
For those seeking further mentorship opportunities, the Black Men in White Coats chapter at the medical school and Mentoring in Medicine offer valuable resources and connections, opening doors to a future where diversity in medicine is not just a goal but a reality.
