admin Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) medical schools were founded with the intention of providing educational opportunities to African American students who had been disenfranchised by other schools.
Though things have changed since the times of Dr James McCune Smith and Dr Rebecca Lee Crumpler, HBCUs continue to not only be safe spaces, but bastions of excellence for students of African descent who want to achieve their dreams. Fortunately for our doctors to be, there are 5 schools that do their part in reducing the black physician shortage stateside.
Here are 5 HBCU Medical Schools that continue to produce the best.
1. Howard University
Washington DC is “Chocolate City” for more reasons than one. Not only is it home to the US Capital, it houses one of the most renowned HBCU medical schools- Howard University. Founded in 1868, Howard is the number one all-black medical school in the country. With a diverse student body, they have a reputation forproviding their students with a high level of clinical exposure.
2. Morehouse School of Medicine
While its parent university is a male-only school, the Morehouse School of Medicine welcomes both men and women to learn in its hallowed halls. Established in 1975, the MSM shines in Atlanta, Georgia and even boasts 7 residency training programs, from Pediatrics to even Preventative Medicine!
3. Meharry Medical College
Meharry Medical College, the first HBCU medical school in the south, and since its establishment in 1876, it has remained true to its motto of “Worship of God through service of mankind”. A private HBCU, it has expanded its medical training through their dental school, graduate school and applied computational sciences school. Nashville, Tennessee is the home of this historical school.
4. Charles R. Drew University
Established in Los Angeles, California in 1966, the Charles R. Drew Medical School is a private HBCU. In fact, it has over 80 percent of students and 71 percent of faculty coming from communities of color. Fun fact: the university is named after Dr. Charles R. Drew, an African-American physician who overcame racism and insurmountable odds as a blood banking pioneer. In fact, he was also the chair of surgery at Howard University!
5. The Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine
Even animals need good doctors! If you want to be a veterinarian, and think an HBCU is for you, Tuskeegee is your best bet. Since 1945, as the only veterinary program on a HBCU campus in the US, it has produced more than 70 percent of the nation’s black docs.
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There are so many options for medical schools for any and every med student looking to make a difference. Maybe an HBCU is for you- but if not, we still love showing you as many options as we can. Check out our International Medicine posts, where you can find out what med school is like from the US straight to Africa and Asia. Let us know where you go to school in the comments!
