Last October, Shaker Heights Middle School student Ryan Robinson attended Cleveland’s inaugural Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit, hosted by UH and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Founded in 2013, the national Black Men in White Coats initiative was launched in response to an Association of American Medical Colleges report highlighting the decreasing number of Black male applicants in medical school.

The event – and a particularly memorable conversation with Edward M. Barksdale, Jr., MD, Surgeon-in-Chief, UH Rainbow Babies & Children's and Robert J. Izant, Jr., MD, Chair in Pediatric Surgery – had a powerful impact on Ryan. This spring he applied to UH’s Health Scholars Program, an initiative designed to introduce minoritized students to careers in medicine.

"That Friday when he spoke to me, he saw something in me that let me know that I can be great in whatever I do. Dr. Barksdale's coat is covered in plastic and hanging on my bedroom door. I see it every day and it reminds me that I can be great in anything I do [and that] someone besides my Mom, Dad and family believes that." said Ryan Robinson, Shaker Heights Middle School student.

Why Outreach Matters

In his standout application, Ryan shared:

“I was inspired by the UH Black Men in White Coats program I went to in October… Honestly, I did not want to go because I was so tired from the week. We got there early because my mom was worried about parking. We went in and sat at the table with our food. An older black man came to sit at our table to talk with me. Initially, I did not know he was a doctor. He was just asking me questions about school and my goals, and telling me about his children. I remember him being so cool and easy to talk to.

The next day I was surprised to see him as one of the main speakers. His name is Dr. Edward Barksdale and he called my name out at the end of his speech to come get his coat, stethoscope and a [Society of Black Academic Surgeons] medal. I was so surprised and nervous, but honored that he picked me from the crowd of all those people. It will always be a memorable experience for me.

That Friday when he spoke to me, he saw something in me that let me know that I can be great in whatever I do. Dr. Barksdale's coat is covered in plastic and hanging on my bedroom door. I see it every day and it reminds me that I can be great in anything I do [and that] someone besides my Mom, Dad and family believes that.

In his speech, [Dr. Barksdale] said, "smooth seas do not make strong sailors". I think this means easy things don't make a person better at that thing. … One of my goals is to keep challenging myself with things that do not come easily. Sometimes this is hard and I want to give up, but that white coat Dr. Barksdale gave me is my inspiration that there is no limit. When I look at it, that's what it means to me.”

Building the Health Care Workforce of Tomorrow

UH’s Health Scholars Program is designed to introduce minoritized 8th-12th grade students like Ryan to careers in medicine. Over the course of a four-week, paid summer intensive, students engage in anatomy and physiology lessons, explore how social determinants affect health care outcomes, meet UH caregivers to talk about their career journeys, travel to college campuses for tours, and create career pathways that include soft skills and social and emotional lessons. UH engages numerous local and national partners in the program, including New Bridge, Cleveland School of Science & Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Morehouse College of Medicine. Post-program, UH stays connected with participants via year-round touchpoints and mentoring opportunities.

The success of the UH Health Scholars Program inspired a new initiative built off the same principles, but this time focused on nursing. The UH Future Nurse Academy launches this month and will introduce area 10th-12th grade students to nursing careers, a field with growing demand and considerable opportunity.

“In Cleveland, health care is our number-one industry, yet our clinician workforces don’t reflect the rich diversity of the communities that we are privileged to serve,” said Celina Cunanan, MSN, APRN-CNM, FACNM, UH Chief Diversity, Equity and Belonging Officer.

“Research tells us that communities who have health care providers that look like them have improved health outcomes, life expectancy and trust with health care systems. As a health care leader, educator and employer, UH is committed to creating pipelines for Black and Brown youth that will spark their interest in health care at an early age, and inspire them to consider careers as nurses, doctors, scientists and advanced practice providers. In doing so, UH is improving the overall health of our Cleveland communities.”