Health & Medicine and the Chicago Area Health Education Center (AHEC) are pleased to announce that we are accepting sponsorships for our Black Men in White Coats Summit, to be held on Saturday, June 4, 2022, at Malcolm X College in Chicago.
Established in 2013, the Black Men in White Coats campaign aims to increase the number of black men pursuing careers in the medical industry. This initiative was founded by Dr. Dale Okorodudu in response to a AAMC report highlighting the decreasing number of black male applicants to medical school.
The summit will bring together an estimated 500 students, parents, educators, clinicians, and community leaders to inspire youth to consider careers in healthcare while laying the foundation for success via mentorship and networking. Evidence clearly shows that youth who do not see themselves represented in a profession tend not to see it as an option as a future career pathway. Black men are increasingly less likely to attend medical school and hold careers as doctors in the United States, and this decline in the availability of Black doctors exacerbates racial disparities in access and quality of health care. As of 2015, matriculation rates for Black male medical school applicants had not risen above their 1978 levels, despite the expansion in medical school positions over the same period.
Our goal is to raise funds and solicit donations to cover expenses related to logistical and programming costs. In order to keep the event accessible to a large audience, we are offering the summit free of charge to the community. It is therefore necessary to have support from a variety of sponsors. The summit will have media exposure via local print and web. In addition, we will be acknowledging your support in our program packet, which will be distributed to all conference participants.
We cordially invite individuals and organizations to sponsor the Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit! Sponsorships are available starting at $500. For more information, download our Sponsorship Fact Sheet or email Shannon Sweetnam, Director of Development and Communications, ssweetnam@hmprgstage.wpengine.com.