Pathways to the
Health Professions

The AAMC Pathways to Health Professions Initiative collaborates with K-12 and medical educators, prehealth advisors, pathway program administrators, biomedical researchers, health care professionals, government representatives, White House appointees, and nonprofit leaders to empower underrepresented students in obtaining a path to careers in medicine.

Explore the learnings and presentations from the successful 2023 Pathways to Health Professions Summit. We think you will be inspired to become engaged in this important initiative.

Join Our Mailing List

Be Inspired

Masaley Kargbo

Identity and exposure are important, as is having belief in students so they can take advantage of education. Pathways have to lead to more opportunities for students. Let’s provide a clear path to get there.

Jasmine West

Literacy is a huge component of success in elementary school. Every child should have opportunities, know their worth, and be empowered.

Amanda Hunter, PhD

Hope and determination. Never give up. Your path will take flips but you are on a journey, so embrace it.

Mark Bedell, EdD

We are providing kids with opportunities and eliminating socioeconomic barriers.

Introduction & Purpose

In 2020, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) released a 10-point strategic plan to respond to the rapidly changing health care landscape that also addresses the existing inequities in medical education, health care, and research. Through member institutions and strategic partnership engagement, this endeavor will create a pathway to the health professions and make such opportunities more accessible, equitable, attainable, and desirable for communities that are underrepresented and historically marginalized.

Within the strategic plan lies Action Plan 4 (AP4): Increase the Diversity of Medical School Applicants and Matriculants. By galvanizing the expertise of its member institutions and developing strategic partnerships, this action plan endeavors to make the pathway to the health professions more accessible, equitable, attainable, and desirable for underrepresented populations and historically marginalized communities. The AAMC is working to accomplish this goal through existing programs and new initiatives.

By making a bold and strategic financial commitment that aligns with multiple strategies of the AAMC 10-point Action Plan (specifically AP4), the Minority Serving Institution (MSI) Pathway Initiative is a new pilot program focused on enhancing the pathways and resources from MSIs to medical schools. This initiative recognizes the important role of MSIs in attracting and graduating diverse college students, and seeks to develop models of effective, robust and sustainable pathways between MSIs and medical schools.

HBCU Pathway Initiatives Pilot  

The AAMC will award one grant for a pilot with a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to develop a pathway initiative that increases workforce diversity and builds capacity for HBCUs to advance physician workforce development. Recognizing the success of pathway programs in the development of a diverse physician workforce, this pilot aims to:
  • Facilitate the development of partnership(s) between HBCUs and a MD granting institutions;
  • Create a pathway program that is modeled after the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP).
  • Build networks that foster the development and sustainability of programs and resources that advance physician workforce diversity.


Eligibility & Selection Criteria

Eligible HBCUs should have a history of pre-med student body, pre-health advisors, and an administrative leadership team with the vision and institutional capacity to sustain this program for years beyond pilot funding. HBCU institutions must identify an MD granting institution(s) that will serve as a contributing partner. This will be a unique opportunity for one HBCU to receive grant funding (with a required institutional match from all partners). Technical assistance will be provided from the AAMC and the selected HBCU will also receive coaching and customized support to build the program infrastructure, policies, procedures, and practices; and overall program operations modeled after SHPEP. This level of support and guidance is intentional to help build HBCU capacity for success.

There are two phases in the competitive proposal process:
  • Phase 1: Letter of Intent (LOI)—Applicants will review the instructions for submissions then submit as a PDF with institutional letter head by April 23, 2024 to pathways@aamc.org.
  • Phase 2: Full Proposals—Applicants whose LOIs are approved will be invited to submit the application which includes a project plan, detailed budget identifying matching funds and in-kind contributions from all partners, letters of support, curriculum vitae for program leaders, and a sustainability plan.

Key Dates & Deadline

  • April 10, 2024
    Minority Serving Institution (MSI) Pathway Initiative community webinar and process opens for Letter of Intent.
  • May 7, 2024
    Deadline for all applicants to submit Letter of Intent. Those submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed.
  • May 10, 2024
    AAMC internal review
  • Week of May 27th
    Applicants notified whether they are invited to submit a full proposal through SHPEP portal. Five weeks to complete application.
  • July 8, 2024
    Deadline for receipt of invited full proposals. Those submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed.
  • July 2024
    Site visits
  • July 29, 2024
    Notification of finalists

Total Award

Number of Awards- The AAMC will award one grant to an HBCU that will focus on increasing African American/Black presence in medicine.

Amount of Award- Up to $210,000 for one year

Award Duration- 12 months

Events & Engagement

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) invites you to participate in an interactive workshop From Schools to Scrubs: Strategies to Develop K-12 Pathway Programs into Medicine and Health Professions on Thursday, April 11, 2024, 8:00 am-12: 45 pm, at the Hilton Houston Post Oak by the Galleria in Houston, TX. This pre-conference workshop, held in conjunction with the Southern Group on Educational Affairs Spring Meeting, is designed to bring together an interdisciplinary audience to discuss strategies for developing and expanding educational pathway programs.

Workshop Description

As the demographics of the United States change, the ability of medical and health professions programs to effectively recruit, train and retain individuals from populations currently underrepresented in these fields has become increasingly important. Pathway programs are one approach to increasing the number of well-prepared learners from underrepresented populations. However, there is little available published research to guide planners seeking to implement or enhance their pathway programs, particularly at the K-12 level. In this workshop, participants will work collaboratively using a brainstorming tool to identify gaps in existing programming, consider their current offerings within their context, and develop a plan to move past a "checkbox" approach towards a thoughtful, cohesive pathway with multiple programs.

What You'll Learn

  • Opportunities and strategies for establishing, enhancing, and sustaining K-12 pathways and partnerships
  • Application of planning tools to identify gaps in current pathway programs and engage stakeholders for future steps
  • Example of models of successful K-12 pathway and program partnerships in STEMM fields
  • Development of preliminary action plans to establish partnerships and pathways with local educational partners
  • Establishment of accountability and peer support networks with other health professions universities

Speakers and Panelists

  • Nancy Moreno, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Education, Innovation & Technology, and Director, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) Center for Educational Outreach, Houston, Texas
  • Matthew Blank, PhD, Assistant Professor, BCM Center for Educational Outreach
  • Alana Newell, PhD, Assistant Professor and Assistant Director, BCM Center for Educational Outreach
  • Kenya Steele, MD, Assistant Dean of Outreach and Student Pathways and Clinical Associate Professor at Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
  • Katherine Harris, BS, Instructor, BCM Center for Educational Outreach and former school district instructional specialist for science
  • Dr. Enrique Vela, Principal, Foy H. Moody High School, Corpus Christi, Texas
  • Francisco Xavier Elisarraras, BCM Fourth Year Medical Student, and graduate of South Texas ISD Health Professions, Mercedes, Texas

Itinerary

  • Arrival, coffee & refreshments (provided)- 8:00-8:30 AM
  • Workshop- 8:30-11:30 AM
  • Lunch (provided)- 11:30 AM – 12:45 PM
  • Transportation- 12:45-1:15 PM
  • Tour of Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions- 1:30-3:00 PM

For more information, please navigate to the registration page. We look forward to seeing you there!

Join our mailing list to stay abreast of upcoming events.

AAMC Pathway Programs Consortium

Please join our AAMC Pathway Programs Consortium, a virtual community designed especially for pathway program directors and administrators to gain access to exclusive webinars and community conversations, learn more about and share relevant funding opportunities, ask questions and connect with professional peers. Follow this link to create an account. Click Register for AAMC Communities. Select AAMC Pathway Programs Consortium in the drop-down box associated with "Is there a specific community space you're trying to join?" Our Member Services team will review your account request and approve within 1 business day.

Action Collaborative for Black Men in Medicine Virtual Community

Join the Action Collaborative for Black Men in Medicine’s Virtual Community by completing this intake form.

Engage with us

Please sign up below to join our email list.