ChristianaCare Hosts Event to Empower Underrepresented Students in Medicine
Speakers encourage students to define their purpose and lead with impact in medicine
Ja’Nayah Pickens steadied her hands on the laryngoscope, carefully guiding the breathing tube into place. Watching a demonstration was one thing — doing it herself was another.
“I certainly need more practice,” she said with a laugh. “But that’s why I love this — getting to see what’s ahead, making sure I know what to expect.”
Pickens was one of more than 100 college students who attended the Underrepresented in Medicine Pre-Health Symposium on Feb. 8 at the John H. Ammon Medical Education Center on ChristianaCare’s Newark campus.
The event was designed to provide premed and pre-health students from historically underrepresented backgrounds with essential resources and information for pursuing careers in health care. More than 50 clinicians, medical faculty, medical students were present and volunteered to support the students.
Pickens and her fellow students explored career pathways and educational opportunities for Delaware students, as well as the benefits of developing and retaining a diverse local workforce. By ensuring that more providers come from and represent the communities they serve, health equity can be improved.
Learn more about opportunities for students from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine.
A senior at Delaware State University awaiting her MCAT scores, Pickens always knew she wanted to work in health care. Her mother, a nurse, had cared for her grandfather when she was little, and she remembers helping in small ways, watching closely.
But after attending the Pre-Health Symposium, she started thinking about her goals in a new way.
“Everyone says they go into medicine to help people,” she said. “But you have to look beyond that — past just treating the patient in front of you.
“What about prevention? How can you change the system to make sure fewer patients don’t end up back in the hospital?”
Building a more inclusive health care workforce
Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer welcomed students with a clear message: Diversity in medicine is critical to reducing health inequities.
“There are too many people in Delaware who feel they can’t find health practitioners that have the cultural competency to understand what they’re going through,” he said.
“The future of health care depends on people like you stepping up, breaking barriers and leading the way.”
Meyer assured students that the state is committed to expanding medical education and career pathways for underrepresented students. “And if you choose to leave for training, that’s okay — just please consider coming back.”
ChristianaCare’s leadership in workforce development
Meyer’s call for diversity in health care reflects ChristianaCare’s commitment to cultivating homegrown talent. ChristianaCare invests in mentorship, early clinical exposure and research opportunities for underrepresented students.
ChristianaCare is also part of the Delaware Institute for Medical Education and Research (DIMER) program. DIMER offers in-state students a strong pathway to medical education, securing seats at Sidney Kimmel Medical College and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine while also supporting clinical rotations and residencies in Delaware.
Click here for opportunities in undergraduate medical education at ChristianaCare.
Expanding access to medical education can inspire and prepare students at all levels for careers in the health sciences, said Omar Khan, M.D., MHS, FAAFP, enterprise chief scientific officer and vice president of research administration at ChristianaCare.
“This is about community investment,” he said. “We want our medical professionals to represent Delaware and all those we serve.”
Becoming ‘drivers of change’
Kameron Matthews, M.D., J.D., FAAFP, a primary care physician and chief health officer at Cityblock Health, called for systemic change in her keynote address to students.
Matthews urged students to define their purpose by choosing a health challenge that truly matters to them. Instead of pursuing titles or accolades, she encouraged them to focus on pressing issues like chronic diseases in marginalized communities or disparities in representation that impact patient trust and outcomes.
“Trust in health care is highest when providers reflect the communities they serve.” — Omar Khan, M.D.
“I want you to ask yourself, how are you going to be a driver of change?” Matthews said. “You’re not just going into a job — you’re stepping into a career where every role is an opportunity to lead.
“Don’t settle for saying the system is broken — figure out how you can transform it and make the biggest impact.”
Advancing health equity through data and advocacy
During a panel discussion on career paths and health equity, Priscilla Mpasi, M.D., FAAP, a pediatrician and assistant medical director for the ChristianaCare Clinical Alliance, encouraged students to challenge bias in medicine and actively work to dismantle inequities.
Mpasi stressed that providers must reflect their communities to counteract bias in diagnosis and treatment. Highlighting a case of a 15-year-old with undiagnosed high blood pressure, she challenged students to recognize and address implicit biases that delay care. She called on health workers to be proactive in reshaping care delivery.
Detailing ChristianaCare’s Population Health strategy, Mpasi explained how the system is addressing barriers to care such as limited transportation, conflicting work schedules, language challenges and lack of childcare. She also highlighted ChristianaCare’s leadership in partnering with payers to incentivize value-based care.
Overcoming challenges and finding purpose
A panel of residents and medical students shared their journeys, offering insights on managing imposter syndrome, finding mentorship and staying resilient.
Christian Brown, D.M.D., a ChristianaCare dentistry resident, urged students to maintain perspective through difficult moments: “You’re going to struggle, but take a step back. Five years ago, you would’ve dreamed of being right where you are today. Keep going.”
This event, organized by Marshala Lee-McCall, M.D., MPH, director of the iREACH Harrington Community Partnership Fund and Brittany Cavanagh, director of Academic Affairs, was sponsored by ChristianaCare’s Harrington Trust & Office of Academic Affairs/iLEAD in collaboration with: the Minority Association of Premedical Students chapters of Delaware State University and the University of Delaware; the First State Chapter of the National Medical Association; ChristianaCare’s GOALS (Growing Our African American Leaders Systemwide) employee resource group; and the Delaware Health Sciences Alliance.
“It is our responsibility to support the next generation of health professionals,” Lee-McCall said. “We believe in you, and we are committed to your success.”