The American Academy of HIV Medicine’s Academy Council for Racial Equity is hosting the inaugural Minority Student Open Wednesday, March 30. One of the goals is to encourage the next generation of healthcare professionals to center HIV prevention, care and research in their future practice.
This free event features a plenary speaker, an interdisciplinary panel discussion and breakout sessions that will inspire and inform minority students and trainees to consider a health professions career in HIV care, policy or research. A faculty of preeminent leaders in HIV will pass along lessons learned and create opportunities for mentorship and professional insight. Breakout sessions will focus on the hierarchy in healthcare, navigating systemic racism, the basics of business in HIV healthcare, and research.
Underrepresentation of people of color and members of minority communities in HIV prevention, treatment and research is a major problem confronting the U.S. healthcare workforce. The healthcare system is confronting workforce shortages as many providers who cared for people at the dawn of the HIV pandemic have retired or otherwise left practice, or are on the cusp of doing so. To strengthen human resources for healthcare, representation of people of color and members of minority groups working as HIV specialist clinicians, practitioners and researchers is critically important.