SUNY Downstate Exploring Health Careers Program Honored by Insight Into Diversity Magazine With Inspiring Stem Program Award
Aug 16, 2018
BROOKLYN, NY— SUNY Downstate Medical Center's Exploring Health Careers Program received the 2018 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine recognizing programs making a difference for underrepresented groups in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This recognition by the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education focuses on programs that encourage and inspire young people to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
"As one of the most diverse campuses in New York serving an equally diverse community, SUNY Downstate Medical Center is proud of the recognition for our work in advancing diversity and promoting equality in the future workforce," said SUNY Downstate president Wayne J. Riley, M.D. "By focusing on underrepresented students in the health professions, we are bringing more members of minority groups into the healthcare workforce and empowering them to serve the greater community."
SUNY Downstate's Exploring Health Careers program is an initiative focused on undergraduates enrolled in SUNY's Educational Opportunity Program. The six-week session introduces students to various health professions through workshops, presentations, and hands-on learning in clinics on campus and in the community.
"Our Exploring Health Careers Program has brought many students of color into the medical profession, breaking barriers for those who may not have previously considered joining the healthcare field," said Downstate Office of Diversity Education and Research Director Anika Daniels-Osaze, EdD. "Programs like these are key to creating a healthcare workforce reflective of the communities they serve."
"We know that many STEM programs are not always recognized for their success, dedication, and mentorship for underrepresented students," said INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine owner and publisher Lenore Pearlstein. "We want to honor the schools and organizations that have created programs that inspire and encourage young people who may currently be in or are interested in a future career in STEM. We are proud to honor these programs as role models to other institutions of higher education and beyond."
SUNY Downstate Medical Center's EHC Program will be featured, along with 77 other recipients, in the September 2018 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. For more information about the 2018 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award and INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, visit www.insightintodiversity.com.
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About SUNY Downstate Medical Center
SUNY Downstate Medical Center, founded in 1860, was the first medical school in the United States to bring teaching out of the lecture hall and to the patient’s bedside. A center of innovation and excellence in research and clinical service delivery, SUNY Downstate Medical Center comprises a College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, a School of Graduate Studies, School of Public Health, University Hospital of Brooklyn, and a multifaceted biotechnology initiative including the Downstate Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT for early-stage and more mature companies, respectively.
SUNY Downstate ranks twelfth nationally in the number of alumni who are on the faculty of American medical schools. More physicians practicing in New York City have graduated from SUNY Downstate than from any other medical school.