Last Thursday, the Southern University Department of Biology hosted a HBCU Medical forum in the School of Nursing Auditorium. The forum included Charles Drew University, University of California-Los Angeles, Meharry, Morehouse and Howard University Medical Schools, respectively.
Bryan Lewis, professor of Biology, was the moderator.
“Increase the number of underrepresented physicians in the state…nation.” Lewis said.
This was to expose SU students to Historically Black Colleges & Universities medical schools and produce more black physicians. This was the first time that there was a HBCU medical forum at Southern University.
In the past there has been a forum for Louisiana medical schools with Tulane, LSU-Shreveport, and LSU-New Orleans in attendance.
“Xavier is doing an outstanding job producing students,” Lewis said.
The forum was to boost in the production of more students to attend medical school. It also gave students here at SU options and to compare the different programs that the schools offer because many students may not get this opportunity anywhere else.
“(It helped me to get an) understanding of what I have to do to get into medical school…” said Justin August a freshman, Biology major, minoring in chemistry, from Lafayette. It addressed such issues as admissions, financial aid, MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test), residency and being prepared to enter into the medical profession. Students are under the impression to attend predominantly white institutions versus a Historically Black College or University with beliefs that they will be better prepared for the medical profession. Quite the contrary, Historically Black Colleges & Universities prepare students just as well as their counterparts while keeping them in a nurturing environment.
Dr. Lewis looks forward to sponsoring the HBCU medical forum again next year so that it will expose incoming students to HBCU medical schools. It will offer a wealth of knowledge to students about doctors and other medical professionals
