The New York State Department of Health is once again investing in an initiative to create a more diverse medical workforce.

It's a multimillion-dollar investment that officials hope will help solve an ongoing issue in New York state.

While more than 30% of the state's population is Black or Hispanic, only 12% of physicians represent those demographics, so that investment is designed to diversify the workforce.

What You Need To Know

  • The state of New York is investing another $4.6M to create a more diverse physician workforce
  • The money will go to the Diversity in Medicine Program
  • Funding helps provide students of color and others a one-year medical training ahead of medical school

State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald on Tuesday announced more than $4.6 million to the Diversity in Medicine program at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo — an increase of more than $1 million over last year.

The goal of the program, managed by the Associated Medical Schools of New York, is to improve access to care, and eliminate health care disparities by diversifying the physician workforce, and helping people of color and other achieve their dream.

"It is so important to have diversity in medicine,” said McDonald. “You know, when I think about the importance of dreaming, these funds don't just help people fulfill the dreams of becoming a doctor, they help communities fulfill their dreams as well.”

Sabrina Dunn was one of many on-hand who completed the one-year program before entering medical school. 

Sabrina, now a third-year medical student at the Jacobs School undergoing clinical training, says her passion for medicine is rooted in health and equality.

"That is the fabric of this program … collaboration and unity, and working together to work toward the shared goal,” said Dunn. “I truly believe that this program embodies the saying 'to lift as we climb,' because we all constantly are working together.”

UB Medical leaders say the funding will help the program continue to pave the way for a diverse health care workforce to help combat a 20% physician shortage expected by 2030 across New York state.

"So what we want to do here is train more doctors so we can be prepared to meet that shortage. And we strive to have our graduates stay here and do their residency in Western New York, and then we want them to stay here and take care of the patients in Western New York," said Dr. Allison Brashear, Jacobs School dean, VP, UB Health Sciences. 

There are also a number of other public and private medical schools taking part in medical diversity programs, funded through the state health department since 2002.