North Carolina Careers
Access Program
Encouraging minorities and disadvantaged persons to
enter the health professions
By Erika F. Campbell
Editor
No matter what rqx>rt one reads
on the status of the current enroll
ment of Blacks, Native Ameri
cans and Hispanic Americans in
the health professions, all of these
documents pwint to significant ra
cial/ethnic minority underrepre
sentation in these fields.
This disproportionate number
of minority health practitioners
appears to have a negative effect
on the ov^l health and well
being of people of color through
out the United States. Previously
published reports such as former
U.S. Secretary of Health and
Human Services Margaret
Heckler’s report. Task Force on
Black and Minority Health, point
to the disparity that exists in the
health status of whites compared
to blacks and other people of color
in America
A major problem associated
with this disparity is the lack of
trained health professionals of
color who would be able to set up
practices within these communi
ties. Trends indicate that health
care professionals of color tend to
care for minority populations,
therefore increasing minority
access to health care and the qual
ity of the health care they receive.
This means there is an increased
need for programs that will en
courage minorities and disadvan
taged persons to enter the health
professions.
One such program is the North
Carolina Health Careers Access
Program (NC-HCAP). NC-HCAP
is an intmnstitutional program of
the University of North Carolina
system. NC-HCAP’s Central
Office is located at UNC with
three health careers centers lo
cated at Pembroke State Univer
sity, N.C. Central University and
Elizabeth City State University.
Within the next five to 10 years,
the program is planing to expand
by adding three new centers at
Fayetteville State UnivCTsity, N.C.
A&T State University, and Win-
ston-Salem State University.
Dr Caroline Mayo, the new
directOT of NC-HCAP, said NC-
HCAP’s interinstitutional nature
was quite positive. She said hav
ing sevCTal uni vanities that would
provide resources and personnel
to draw from would increase her
knowledge of the health care
problems facing people of color
across the state.
“Being the director of a state
wide interinstitutional program
allows me to have an in-depth
perspective of health issues af
fecting African-Ammcans and
Native Americans and those health
manpower shortages that exists in
our racial/ethnic minority com
munities,” Mayo said.
The mission of NC-HCAP is
to interest racial/ethnic minority
and disadvantaged students in
com ing frtxn disadvantaged back
grounds can take advantage of
the many services offered by the
Health Careers Access Program.
Vice-Chancellor of Health
Affairs H. Garland Hershey is
pleased that NC-HCAP’s central
office is at UNC and feels that the
program has helped the Univer
sity to attract people of color to
UNC’s health care department.
“The program is an excellent
one and has been very supportive
of our attempt to increase minor
ity presence in our health profes
sions department,” he said.
A major project of NC-HCAP
is the Health Careers Academic
Advancement Program. This pro
in the health care fields, which
ultimately increases theirchances
for admission into health profes
sions schools,” said Mayo.
The Medical Issues Sciences
Seminars are currently offered
three times per year at several
state universities. These seminars
expose students of color and dis
advantaged students to a variety
of health careers options. Each
seminar features different health
profession and graduate programs
at the host institutions. Informa
tion provided in the seminar also
includes admission and gradu
ation requirements; financial aid
and support information; minor
ity presence data for the featured
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careers in the health care profes
sions and to enhance their oppor
tunities to gain access to, and suc
ceed in, formal higher education
in the health professions. By ex
posing students to a variety of
enrichment experiences and infor
mational materials, NC-HCAP’s
goal is to increase the number of
underreixesented minority persons
trained and employed in the health
professions.
Mayo said, “Through clinical
and didactic experience, NC-
HCAP exposes students early on
to the health care professions.”
Mayo emphasized that such early
exposure allowed the student the
chance to decide if he or she really
wanted to go into the health care
professions.
Target groups consist of stu
dents from African-American and
Native American backgrounds—
the two major racial/ethnic groups
in North Carolina who are also
underrepresented in the health care
professiCTis. Additionally, students
gram is conducted during the aca-
health professions and printed
Current Events
demic year and in the summer for
health sciences majors who wish
to pursue graduate and profes
sional health training programs.
Components of the program in
clude the Science Enrichment
Program (SEP) and the Medical
Issues Science Seminars (MISS).
SEP is an eight-week summer
residential honors-level enrich
ment program conducted during
June and July. It offers courses in
chemistry, physics, biology,
quantitative skills and biostatis
tics, advanced reading speed,
comprehension and test taking
skills that prepare students for
health professions admissions
exams such as the Medical Col
lege Admissions Test (MCAT).
“SEP provides enrichment
experience to students interested
information on other health pro
fessions not featured during the
actual seminar. Presenters include
health care professions faculty,
adminisU'atws, students and prac
titioners. African-American and
Native American role models
serve as presenters whenever
possible.
Students who attend a Medi
cal Issues Sciences Seminar will
find a wealth of information per
taining to students interested in
the health care professions.
"When they leave the seminar,
students will have a generic over
view of the health care field as it
exists on UNC’s campus. This
seminar provides them with an
opportunity meet students from
across the state who are interested
in health care professions."
Project Uplift &
Pre-01991
Prqect Uplift 1991
Dorm Afiutant and Countelor Poiitions Available
Applications are now available for Dorm Assistants and
Counselors for Project Uplift 1991. Dorm Assistants are
selected competitively and receive a stipend. Counselors serve
as volunteers who assist with the programs and will receive a
stipend based upon their performance.
Pre-Orientation 1991
Applications are currently available for students desiring to
serve as counselors for Pre-Orientation 1991, a program which
targets incoming Minority Freshmen.
Applications are available at 04 South
Bldg. and the Black Cultural Center. All
applications must be returned by 5:00
p.m. on Feb. 25. For further information,
contact Jamee Alston at 962-6962.
/
Black Ink February 11, 1991