Library hosts program that bridges gap to medical school

The San Marcos Public Library will be hosting a series, starting this month, that hopes to demystify the pursuit of medical careers for local students as well as bridge the minority gap in the medical field.

The series, “Demystifying Medical Careers,” will be held by Miss Diversity of Medicine, a local nonprofit that partners with local medical providers, high schools and universities in the areas between Austin and San Antonio to provide high school and undergraduate students opportunities to get involved, get focused and pursue their medical profession dreams.

“What we do is team up high school and undergraduate students, who are interested in applying to medical school ultimately – medical school, veterinarian school, dental school – and really being the middleman, or middlewoman I suppose, of helping them get the information they need to apply for internships and different programs and making sure they understand what kind of track they need to be on as far as grades and tests they need to take,” Tia Macias, founder of Miss Diversity of Medicine, said.

The other part of the program, according to Macias, is getting medical schools, both locally and statewide, to provide information on scholarships, entrance and certifications as well as help lineup volunteer, shadowing and internship opportunities at local doctors' offices, so that students can build career experience.

Macias started the nonprofit in 2018 to help bridge the gap for minority students interested in pursuing medical school, but aren’t sure how or where to start.

“For me it’s very important that kids that aren’t highly representative in the medical industry – that are minorities or young girls – get to see people that look like them and that work with them,” Macias said. “This is meant to bridge the gap on their journey.”

For many, according to Macias, it’s easier to dream it if you can see it. But for African American women, it can be harder to “see it,” when it comes to the medical field because, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, African American women represent only about two percent of the nation’s 877,616 active physicians.

Miss Diversity of Medicine, though targeted at young minority women, is open and inclusive to students of all backgrounds, ages and ethnicities.

Miss Diversity of Medicine will host a series of six programs starting on Thursday, Feb. 7 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the San Marcos Public Library. The sessions will be broken down into separate topics. The first session will be an introductory information session that gauges attendees’ potential interests. The next sessions will be on Feb. 28, March 7, March 28, April 4 and April

25. All sessions will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

This program is aimed at high school and undergraduate students, but is open to all ages, including interested parents. Those interested in attending can call the library at 512-393-8200 to register.

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Twitter: @rachelcantweet