UMass Chan Medical School launches new High School educational program
New England Council member, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, announced a new program providing high school students early exposure to the career field of health, science, and racial health disparities research. The program, called Pipeline Dreams, is an initiative between Patients R Waiting, a nonprofit founded by Dr. Cherise Hamblin working to increase representation of minority physicians, and UMass Memorial Health, the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, and the Schwartz Charitable Foundation.
Pipeline Dreams is being overseen by the UMass Chan Collaborative in Health Equity and has already welcomed its first cohort of 33 juniors and seniors from 11 Massachusetts high schools. Over 12 weeks, students will engage in meetings with scientists, clinicians, and undergraduates to learn more about careers in medicine, research and public health.
“There are all these resources here at UMass Chan [. . .]. We produce doctors, nurses, and scientists. Our focus in this program is to activate these students in the local community, remind them that they belong here and have something to contribute,” said Dr. Cherise Hamblin at the opening ceremony. She emphasized the importance of exposing students to diverse health careers, particularly from underrepresented backgrounds.
The New England Council congratulates UMass Chan Medical on this exciting announcement and the new opportunities created for students in the surrounding communities.
Read more via the Worcester Business Journal and UMass Chan Medical News.