“Get SLiM”
Fostering the professional development and empowerment of future underrepresented minority leaders in healthcare, medicine, and science
Science and Leadership in Medicine (SLiM) is a 6-week program created to expose high school and undergraduate students to various careers in medicine and science. Although Blacks and Hispanics represent 14% and 18% of the U.S. population, respectively, they only represent 6% and 5% of U.S. physicians. To make matters worse, there has been a near 30% decline in Hispanic male medical school graduates and a near 40% decline in Black male medical school graduates over the past 30 years. Lack of interest in medicine and lack of accessible mentors have been cited as probable contributors to this decline. Black and Latino Men in Medicine (BLMiM) wishes to combat this decline by mobilizing its network of hospital administrators, faculty, trainees, and medical students to facilitate medicine and science exposure, promote leadership development, and provide mentorship opportunities for Black and Latino high school and undergraduate students. Mentoring is an essential component to professional and career development, and is a key pillar in the mission of BLMiM. BLMiM seeks to provide mentorship opportunities in order to facilitate the development of professional relationships needed to provide guidance and support for our students’ academic endeavors, while inspiring interest in careers in medicine and science.