One of the issues the pandemic brought to light is the disparity in healthcare in underserved communities, particularly communities of color.
There's a critical need for Black and Hispanic professionals in the healthcare industry.
Dunbar Elementary's Medical Magnet School is hoping to create its own future pipeline of medical professions.
At the school's third annual white coat ceremony, fifth graders received their ceremonial white coat. It's symbolic of the first step on their journey to a career in healthcare.
For the past year, these kids have been studying the human body while being mentored by local doctors.
This program is a partnership with the B.E.S.T. program, which stands for Brain Expansions Scholastic Training.
"In order for you to have a vision of what the future looks like, you have to know what opportunities that are there. And what we try to do here at Dunbar Elementary is to inspire them as a fifth grader and inspire them now because we know that there are many distractions that are going to come in the future," Dr. Dexter Frederick, Founder of the B.E.S.T. program, said. "We're in need of future health professionals, doctors, nurses, but more importantly, we need individuals, students of color who are interested in science and math, so that they can become our future healers for tomorrow."
"One of the best things about B.E.S.T. is that they are trying to get as many students as possible into all medical fields, so not just doctors and nurses but phlebotomists, EMTs alike, you name it in the medical field," Cynthia Crim, Principal at Dunbar Elementary said.
In addition to their white coats, the kids were also given a stethoscope courtesy of Moffitt Cancer Center.
