The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University Virtual Residency Recruitment Fair

On August 5, 2022 The Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs (ODMA), in collaboration with the Clinical Departments, hosted its third annual Diversity in Medicine Virtual Residency Fair for fourth-year medical students. This event is a Graduate Medical Education wide virtual fair to inform medical students about the incredible residency programs sponsored by Lifespan and Care New England. During this one-day event residents and program leaders from several of our Clinical Departments including Anesthesiology, Child/Adolescent Psychiatry, Dermatology, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine - Pediatrics, Neurology, Neurosurgery, OB/GYN, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Radiology, Radiology/Oncology, Surgery, Triple Board/Child Psychiatry discussed features of their training programs, the patient populations they serve, and opportunities for trainees. The Brown Minority Housestaff Association hosted a session on life in Rhode Island as a trainee, and Dr. Kelly Holder, Chief Wellness Officer for The Warren Alpert Medical School, held a session focused on resident wellness. 

Black Men in White Coats and Brother-2-Brother 

In 2015, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) published a report “Altering the Course: Black Males in Medicine” to address the decreasing number of black male applicants to and matriculants in medical school. In 1978, there were 1,410 black male applicants to medical school and 542 black male matriculants, and in 2014, there were just 1,337 applicants and 515 matriculants. No other minority group has experienced such declines in medicine.

Ricky Grisson MD, MBA, Assistant Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, leads Brother-2-Brother, a mentorship group at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown, which brings together black male students with black male faculty. Black male faculty members across our clinical departments offer “Office Hours” where they engage in casual discussions about their career paths, obstacles, advice, and mentorship. 

Black Men in White Coats is a community engagement program that exposes Rhode Island students in grades 3 through post-college to the fields of medicine and public health. Sponsored jointly by The Warren Alpert Medical School and the Brown School of Public Health, and in collaboration with the national Black Men in White Coats organization, this day-long event provides mentorship, practical information, and networking with the goal of strengthening and diversifying the future of health care. Members of the Brown community will share their experiences with parents and families, reveal tips for starting a career in the health industry and engage students of all ages in science and technology activities.The inaugural summit is planned for October 29, 2022.