UNTHSC to Host 2nd Annual Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit

The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth is hosting the Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit on Feb. 10 for the second year.

The free event will begin at 9 a.m. in the university’s Medical Education and Training building and will feature keynote speaker Dr. Dale Okorodudu, founder of Black Men in White Coats. Registration for the event can be found here. The Youth Summit is open to third- through 12th-grade students, their parents, undergraduate college students and pre-health advisors.

“HSC is thrilled to be a partner with Black Men in White Coats to bring this important Youth Summit to our campus here in Fort Worth,” said Dr. Sylvia Trent-Adams, HSC president. “Increasing the number of minorities in health care is a priority and our responsibility. We want to inspire future generations of health care providers and show them that boys and girls from all backgrounds can achieve their dreams. I want to thank Dr. Dale Okorodudu and everyone associated with Black Men in White Coats for returning to HSC as we look to build on last year’s success and make it even better.”

Established in 2013 by Okorodudu, BMWCx aims to encourage and equip boys and girls from diverse backgrounds to pursue medical careers. The goal of the summit is to inspire youths and college students to consider careers in health care while laying the foundation for their success through mentorship and networking.

In 2023, HSC welcomed nearly 400 underrepresented minority elementary, middle, high school and college students to campus during the summit. Attendees participated in interactive activities while gaining valuable insight into career opportunities in health care.

This year, elementary and middle school students will participate in heart and lung organ “tours” and do activities in the osteology and anatomy labs. High school and undergraduate students will learn more about careers in health care and participate in clinical activities such as suturing and intubation in HSC’s state-of-the-art Regional Simulation Center.

In addition, there will be breakout sessions for students, parents and pre-health advisors along with a community resource fair with local organizations offering resources. The breakout sessions will include clinical skills, and activities for elementary and middle school children, including intubation and heart sounds, along with CPR.

There also will be a Health Career Exploration presentation for high school students and sessions for parents on “how to raise a doctor.”

“We are incredibly honored and excited to be hosting the Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit for a second straight year here at HSC,” said Dr. Charles Taylor, HSC provost and executive vice president. “I hope events like this will inspire all of those who want to be a health care provider, and we want HSC to give them the access and support to make that dream come to fruition.”

Okorodudu is an associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center and a member of its Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. He is a widely published author and documentarian who is one of the leading voices in the country on fostering diversity in medicine.

In addition to Okorodudu, there will be a panel that will feature current HSC students, physicians, researchers and other health care professionals.

The afternoon will conclude with a Community Resource Fair and an appearance by the 97.9 FM Street Team.