By Oluwakemi Tomobi, Robert Trevino, & Jazmin Villavicencio It was with great delight that we celebrated the impact of the Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP) over the last 35 years. The Future Leaders in Health Summit offered an excellent opportunity for alumni from the four iterations of the program…

From the bedside to the lab, from local clinics to global health missions, and from public health leadership to advocacy, the exciting field of infectious diseases offers a variety of career paths for SHPEP scholars and alumni to discover. The Infectious Diseases Society of America, a global community working together…

Dr. Pamies' career as a physician was marked by a series of significant roles, each contributing to his overarching mission of advancing health equity. As an editorial board member of the Journal of the National Medical Association (JNMA), a faculty member in the University of South Florida Department of Family Medicine, and the vice chancellor of academic affairs and dean for graduate studies at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), he left an indelible mark on the field of healthcare. 

Minor and Bonnin (2022) highlight the pivotal role mentors and advisors play in enhancing the performance of underrepresented medical students. Fortunately, organizations are dedicated to supporting and guiding prehealth and current health professionals from disadvantaged backgrounds. To shed light on these valuable resources, I interviewed students from diverse backgrounds to explore their experiences within these professional organizations.

Embarking on a career in the health professions is a transformative experience, often filled with challenges and unexpected turns. This journey can be especially daunting for disadvantaged students, and it's not uncommon to find oneself considering a different path due to burnout, challenges with school acceptance, or simply a desire for change.

Lisa M. Meeks, Ph.D., M.A., is a leader known for her passion for advancing disability access and inclusion in medicine. Her expertise and enthusiasm translate into her work as an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Learning Health Sciences at the University of Michigan Medicine.

A strong leader and unwavering voice for the disability community in biomedical research and beyond,  Bonnielin Swenor, Ph.D., M.P.H., is an expert researcher in disability equity, disability data, and accessibility. Dr. Swenor serves as the Director of the Johns Hopkins University Disability Health Research Center and has joint appointments at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Wilmer Eye Institute and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology.

I launched The Dakota Initiative as a way to remember my brother during a difficult time in my life. This grassroots mental health initiative started with the intention of bettering the lives of people in South Mississippi, where I am currently pursuing my medical degree.

Currently, scholars, activists, and physicians are fighting to increase the representation and inclusion of PWD in medical education, and their efforts span the gamut of reform practices. However, to overcome systemic barriers, we all must work together to try to perform systemic action. While, obviously, joining the fight through explicit advocacy, research, and policy reform is admirable and necessary, not everyone has the ability or desire to participate in diversity, equity, and inclusion reform on an official basis.

You want to feel confident with the resources you’re using to prepare for standardized exams. You can read reviews online, ask fellow students for their recommendations, and start with using the free resources available to you. Hear from different SHPEP alums and their experiences with testing.