Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit Inspires the Next Generation of Healthcare Leaders

The second annual Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit on November 14 inspired local students to envision themselves in various healthcare fields. Photos by Kristy Leibowitz.

Although Black men represented 2.7 percent of physicians in 1940, that number decreased to 2.6 by 2018, despite the fact that Black Americans comprise 12 percent of the U.S. population. The organization Black Men In White Coatswas founded in 2013 to address this disparity, with a goal to increase the number of black men in the field of medicine by exposure, inspiration, and mentoring.

The Renaissance School of Medicine(RSOM) at Stony Brook University, in collaboration with Stony Brook's Black Men in White Coats chapter, hosted the second annual Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit on November 14. The event aimed to inspire students to envision themselves in various healthcare fields, providing them with a supportive community and the resources to help them succeed.

Sponsored by RSOM, the Simons STEM Scholars program, and University and Medicine Community Relations, the summit was free to attend and brought together over 600 third- through twelfth-graders from Long Island and New York City for a day filled with hands-on experiences, mentorship, and motivational insights. More than 100faculty, staff and students volunteered their time to make the event a success.

Workshops introduced participants to fields like medicine, nursing, social work, psychiatry, and dentistry. Students were able to engage in hands-on learning through a robotic surgery machine, where students were able to pick up small plastic objects with robotic hands to simulate a surgical operation, and ultrasound machines, where students were able to use the machines on one another to locate and view the carotid artery, veins and muscles.

High school students attended sessions on financial aid, admissions,RSOM, the School of Dental Medicine, the School of Health Professions, the School of Nursing, the School of Social Welfare, the Simons STEM Scholars program, and 'A Day in the Life' panel of healthcare workers.

Adrien Canery, a second-year medical student and president of Stony Brook's Black Men in White Coats chapter, highlighted the importance of the event for increasing diversity in healthcare. "This summit means everything to me," he said. "One of my goals is to have more people who look like me in the medical field, and this event is about giving kids that exposure and showing them that the vast world of healthcare isn't just about being a doctor. There's social work, nursing, and so much more."

Dontae Teuton, second-year medical student and community outreach chair for the chapter, echoed the importance of representation. "It's crucial for young kids to see people who look like them in medicine," he said. "I remember the first time I saw a Black doctor and it made me believe I could go into medicine. Today is about inspiring kids, showing them what's possible."

Stony Brook University Interim President Richard McCormick (fifth from right) addressed the Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit.

The summit opened with remarks from Peter Igarashi, MD, dean of the Renaissance School of Medicine, who discussed the important role that diversity plays in healthcare. "Our country needs more doctors, nurses, and social workers from diverse backgrounds," he said. "Diversity not only improves team performance but also enhances patient outcomes."

Stony Brook University Interim President Richard McCormick reinforced this message. "How can we truly care for everyone if all needs aren't represented?" he asked. "Today, we're looking at the future of healthcare in this room. You have a passion for making a difference, and that's what healthcare is all about."

Stacy Jaffee Gropack, dean of the School of Health Professions, offered an empowering message to participants. "To be unstoppable is to confront challenges with resilience, to never let setbacks dictate your future," she noted. "Healthcare is a vast field, with endless ways to contribute. At Stony Brook, we believe that every student in this room is unstoppable."

Angelica Conway, a teacher from Long Island's Half Hollow Hills school district, appreciated the real-world exposure her students gained at the Summit. "They're learning about everything from dental hygiene to optometry," she shared. "It's been amazing watching them try out CPR and learn about eye exams and dental cleanings - it's all so hands-on."

Imoigele Aisiku, MD, chair of Stony Brook's Department of Emergency Medicine, delivered the keynote address to participants and shared his unconventional and non-linear path to medicine. Originally dreaming of becoming a police officer, he discovered his passion for healthcare while working as a security guard in an emergency room.

"Be your authentic self," he advised, adding that he ultimately followed his calling into medicine after serving as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy. "Everything worth having comes with discipline," he said (a motto he has tattooed on his arm as a constant reminder to himself), urging students to "count the days, be authentic, and enjoy what you love."

Joyce DeRougemont, a freshman from Baldwin High School, aspires to become a pediatrician, but worries about paying for college and medical school. During the summit, she learned about the full-ride financial opportunity available through Stony Brook's Simons STEM Scholars program, and expressed excitement about the chance to pursue higher education without financial barriers. "It helps students like us get into a good college and have great jobs when we get older," she said.

For the young attendees, the Summit offered a supportive community, mentorship, and a vision for what they could achieve. Marquise Soto, fourth-year medical student and one of the people who founded Stony Brook's Black Men in White Coats chapter in 2022, said that students are most interested in the medical school application process, how to pay for medical school, and work/life balance while in medical school.

"This event is about showing them what's possible," Soto said. "We're here to answer their questions, to mentor, and to open doors."

- Beth Squire

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