Text Box: The Cultural Connection
Text Box: Delta Health Education Partnership
Text Box: Fall	 2001
Text Box: Volume 3, Issue 2

Text Box: Inside this issue:
Text Box: A Partnerships for Training Project Funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Text Box: Partnerships in Science 
Education Pipeline Part I
Text Box: As this is my first submission to The Cultural Connection newsletter, I decided to divert from the course of the past few issues.  While perusing past issues, I noticed a particular newsletter objective that intrigued me:  “Incorporate principles of cultural sensitivity that will enhance recruitment and retention of primary care provider students in the clinical environment.”  Using this as the basis for my submission, I wanted to share what LSUHSC is doing to increase recruitment of minority and other disadvantaged ethnic groups.  Much of the following information is quoted and paraphrased directly from an informational packet about the Partnerships in Science Educational Pipeline, produced by the Department of Multicultural Affairs at LSUHSC.

For many years, minority and other disadvantaged ethnic groups have been underrepresented in the healthcare professions.  Text Box: There have been studies to investigate causes, as well as possible solutions to this deficit.  And, it has been hypothesized that educating these underrepresented groups in the healthcare professions will directly impact healthcare in their geographic areas of origin.

There are three strategies that have been implemented at LSUHSC to address this issue:

Development of educational programs that focus on science and mathematics.
Early identification of minority/disadvantaged students who possess the academic ability [to function] as program participants, and
Implementation of programs to prepare entry into professional schools.

Surveys have indicated that most students determine their future career before graduation from high school.  Therefore, effort was put forth to increase the interest of school-age students in science related fields.  The result was “The Partnership in Science Text Box: Kenneth W. Betzing, MPAS, PA-C
Acting Department Head
LSUHSC Physician Assistant Program
Text Box: “Incorporate principles of cultural sensitivity that will enhance recruitment and retention of primary care provider students in the clinical environment.”

Partnerships in Science Education Pipeline

Part I

1-2

Pipeline

2

 

Summer Science Academy

2

LaPrep Summer Enrichment Program

3

Summer Enrichment or

(Jumpstart Program)

3

 

 

 

 

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