Each summer, the Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) hosts , a transformative three-day program designed to stimulate the interest of students in basic sciences and the field of medicine. This year, the program selected a group of six students who got hands-on experience and insights into the world of medicine.
The program provides experiential learning opportunities for underrepresented students free of charge, including biomedical science workshops involving research and clinical problem-solving. Students also interact with doctors, pharmacists and medical students at NEOMED throughout the program.
“Given the success of the 2023 MEDCAMP, Sociology Professor Carla Goar, Ph.D., who serves as director of the Anti-Racism and Equity Institute (AREI) at Kent State, decided to collaborate with me and our center with a generous internal grant to implement the 2024 MEDCAMP,” Felix Kumah-Abiwu, Ph.D., the founding director of the Center for African Studies and an associate professor in the Department of Africana Studies at Kent State, said. “The collaboration has been a great success.”
“The Anti-Racism and Equity Institute is proud to have partnered with Professor Felix Kumah-Abiwu and the Department of Africana Studies to sponsor students attending the 2024 MEDCAMP Program,” Goar said. “Supporting students of color in their pursuit of careers in medicine and healthcare is a vital step toward addressing systemic inequities and improving health outcomes across all communities.”
Working Toward Racial Equity, Access and Justice in the Health Sector
In 2023, Kumah-Abiwu was awarded a grant from the Social Justice Grants Initiative of Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation with the support of the Foundation. His decision to support the program was inspired by the experiential learning opportunity MEDCAMP provides students and the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on many black and brown communities amid the social justice protests that occurred across the country after the death of George Floyd in 2020.
“Although racial discrimination, especially the Jim Crow (Segregation Laws) types of the 1950s and 1960s are no longer legally in place, culturally driven stereotypical attitudes, behaviors, and other forms of covert racial discrimination are still part of our society, including the healthcare sector,” Kumah-Abiwu said. “This is why it is extremely important for every American to work toward racial equity, access and justice.”
“Historically, professionals of color have been underrepresented in the medical field, contributing to disparities in access to care, perpetuating biases against underserved communities, and limiting the availability of culturally competent services,” Goar said. “By supporting these future healthcare leaders, AREI is advancing its mission to interrupt systemic racism and foster a more equitable and just healthcare system for all.”
“It is undeniable that America is a multi-racial country with people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds,” Kumah-Abiwu said. “Our workplaces must reflect the diverse racial composition of America or how America really looks like in terms of diversity. Given the fact that students will enter the workplace and are more likely to work with people from other racial backgrounds, it is important that students are aware of the value and importance of inclusiveness. Programs with a focus on underserved communities will help bridge the widening disparity in terms of access and equity in the healthcare sector.”
Student Testimonials
The transformative impact of MEDCAMP was evident in the heartfelt testimonials shared by some of the participants.
Freshman psychology major Keira Petty found the experience greatly beneficial, boosting her confidence and broadening her career exploration.
“I am becoming more confident in narrowing down what I’d like to do in the future, and I feel less limited in terms of exploration,” Petty said. “This program will help me in my future endeavors as I venture out and hopefully experience more opportunities such as MEDCAMP.”
Cynthia Mishiame, a junior majoring in international relations, described MEDCAMP as an authentic introduction to medical student life, which affirmed her decision to become a disaster healthcare professional.
“MEDCAMP was a truly amazing and beneficial experience,” Mishiame said. “There was so much to be learned from each day spent from the first to the last.”
Sophomore biology major Grace Kamau praised the program for its comprehensive and rigorous approach, combining theory with hands-on practice.
“From the outset, MEDCAMP immersed us in a rigorous schedule for the three days that included: lectures and talks from experienced medical professionals, interactive case studies, laboratory works, clinical and patient stimulations, mentoring by esteemed physicians, research work and case study presentations,” Kamau said.
Shannon McWhorter, a freshman biochemistry major, reflected on MEDCAMP as a deeply inspiring experience that solidified her passion for medicine and made her grateful for the opportunity and people they met.
“It was an amazing experience for me and I honestly would do it all over again and change nothing,” McWhorter said.
Given the competitive nature of getting admission into medical schools and other areas in the health sciences, Kumah-Abiwu thinks that attending MEDCAMP is a smart and excellent way for students to demonstrate their interest and preparedness to enter the field.
“Attending MEDCAMP will not only make a student competitive when it comes to the Med-School application process, but it will also show that the student has been engaged in experiential learning,” Kumah-Abiwu said.
The Future
Kumah-Abiwu plans to help keep the MEDCAMP cohort together to build an informal “medical learning community” and provide peer-to-peer mentoring support for them at Kent State and beyond. He hopes these students enter the health professions and become changemakers in our underserved communities. He also plans to continue seeking funds for students to attend this camp in future years.
“It is my hope that some of these students will end up one day as medical doctors or other health professionals to serve our communities, especially underserved communities,” Kumah-Abiwu said. “This is what inspires me to continue exploring more funding opportunities for the program.”
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Media Contact:
Jim Maxwell, 330-672-8028, JMAXWEL2@kent.edu