Resources
The purpose of this resource page is to increase student and faculty awareness of: CoE tools and applications; scholarships, internships, and other experiential learning opportunities; faculty fellowships; research funding announcements; developments in the field of racial/ethnic health disparities, health equity and cultural competence; national and regional trends in the recruitment, retention, and promotion of URM health sciences faculty; national and regional data on URM medical school applications, acceptance and completion rate, average MCAT and USMLE scores; and other relevant data.
Recent Events
- Annual Dr. Edith P. Mitchell Student, Resident, and Fellow Research Symposium. May 4, 2024, Baltimore MD. Read more...
- National Medical Association Region II Annual Conference: African American Physicians Surviving and Thriving -- In and Beyond the White Coat. May 2-4, 2024, Baltimore MD. Read more...
New and Seminal Resources
- New. PreMed Power Podcasts. Our new podcast series presents a series of podcasts that provide real-life insights and tips on applying to and being successful in medical school. These podcasts, which were recorded in front of a live audience, can be downloaded and listened to when you have the time and when you need the inspiration.
- New. HU ARC of Food Security. Nutrition information for medical students, including on- and off-campus resources.
- Tool. HUCOM CoE Application Timeline/Checklist. Word version to be filled out.
- Flyer. HUCOM CoE Scholars Program. Learn more about the program.
- Diagram. ARC of Strengthening the Physician Workforce. About the HUCOM CoE Scholars Program: Priming and Diversifying the Physician Workforce.
Use the drop-down navigation below to access resources based on your need.
Our Programs and Resources: CoE Applications and Program Summaries
- Tool. HUCOM CoE Application Timeline/Checklist. Word version to be filled out.
- Flyer. HUCOM CoE Scholars Program. Learn more about the program.
- Diagram. ARC of Strengthening the Physician Workforce. About the HUCOM CoE Scholars Program: Priming and Diversifying the Physician Workforce.
CoE Applications:
Students who meet the HUCOM CoE eligibility requirements (Howard University College of Medicine Center of Excellence | Howard University Telehealth Training Center) are encouraged to apply. If you are excited about a medical career but do not meet the eligibility qualifications, we encourage you to contact us at [email protected] so that we might discuss pathways for you to successfully apply to and complete medical school.
Note: Applications for current medical students and pre-med students have closed as of 04/14/23. Please check back soon for the next round of applications.
Program Summaries:
- Enrichment Curriculum Guide. Coming soon.
- HBCU-NMA Ancestral Mentorship Program (HNAM). A partnership between Howard University College of Medicine’s Center of Excellence (HUCOM CoE) Scholar’s program and the National Medical Association (NMA) aimed at honoring the enduring sacrifices of our ancestors. HNAM also honors the legacy of our ancestors by asking retired or retiring physicians to directly contribute to the success of our Black students, in championing their quest to become physicians.
- Howard University Medical Student Summer Research Program (MSSRP). A program open to freshmen Medical Students during the summer following their freshman year. Students must be in good academic standing and meet defined requirement. Students conduct basic and or clinical research with HU college of medicine researchers during the summer for 7 weeks. The goal of the MSSRP is to foster medical student participation in HUCM research.
- HUCOM CoE Scholars Symposium. April is Howard University's annual research month. This scholarly activity is part of the University’s ongoing efforts to foster the research mission and to celebrate the University's research enterprise. These initiatives include external grants and contracts, distinguished scholarly projects, and outstanding creative works. The Annual Research Symposium is the highlight of Research Month. The symposium provides a venue to engage researchers and develop multidisciplinary collaborations. HUCOM CoE Scholars Program will participate in the Symposium and will showcase the research of premed and medical school students along with our junior faculty scholars. Disparity (Health Equity) Research Priority. The broad thematic research topic is Climate Change & Health Equity. We encourage our scholars to focus on effective strategies to addressing this issue within their communities. Our scholars will be invited to present their work at the HUCOM CoE Scholars Symposium.
- Junior Faculty Scholars Program. Junior faculty are supported in their research. They are provided the opportunity to strengthen, orient, and advance their professional development and in so doing, give them an opportunity to focus on issues related to teaching and learning. The program focuses on developing early-career faculty investigators from the College of Medicine so that they can become independent, extramurally funded investigators and can conduct research and contribute to the body of knowledge on health equity and emerging health conditions of importance to Black communities.
- Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP) at Howard University. An academically enriched program that contributes to a culture of health and promotes diversity in health care. The program is designed to strengthen the academic proficiency and overall professional school readiness of talented students from groups that are disadvantaged and traditionally underrepresented in the health care professions. These students include, but are not limited to, African American/Black, American Indian and Alaska Native, Hispanic/Latino. Howard offers the dental, medical, nursing, and pharmacy pathways. Preparing the next generation of healthcare providers for their role in advancing the health of all communities throughout the U.S. is one of the major objectives of the SHPEP program. Through this six-week program scholars gain a unique insight to the health professions through a rigorous, team-based, interprofessional, and culturally competent curriculum.
Pre-Med Resources: MCAT and SHPEP
MCAT. The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) is a computer based multiple-choice standardized examination that is required for admission to medical. It measures content knowledge It is designed to assess problem solving, critical reasoning skills, written analysis and knowledge of scientific concepts and principles. In recent years a Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior section was added to the exam. This component of the exam tests the sociocultural, biological, and psychological influences on behavior and social interactions as well as how people process emotion and stress. Medical school admissions look at MCAT scores, academic record and supporting materials, to assess one’s foundations to build a successful medical career.
SHPEP. The Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP) at Howard University is an academically enriched program that contributes to a culture of health and promotes diversity in health care. The program is designed to strengthen the academic proficiency and overall professional school readiness of talented students from groups that are disadvantaged and traditionally underrepresented in the health care professions. These students include, but are not limited to, African American/Black, American Indian and Alaska Native, Hispanic/Latino. Howard offers the dental, medical, nursing, and pharmacy pathways. Preparing the next generation of healthcare providers for their role in advancing the health of all communities throughout the U.S. is one of the major objectives of the SHPEP program. Through this six-week program scholars gain a unique insight to the health professions through a rigorous, team-based, interprofessional, and culturally competent curriculum.
Medical School Resources: MSSRP and USMLE
MSSRP. Howard University Medical Student Summer Research Program (MSSRP I) is opened to freshmen Medical Students during the summer following their freshman year. Students must be in good academic standing and meet defined requirement. Students conduct basic and or clinical research with HU college of medicine researchers during the summer for 7 weeks. The goal of the MSSRP is to foster medical student participation in HUCM research.
USMLE. The HUCOM CoE will fund students to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) steps 1 and 2. This will include review sessions that provide structured review to improve performance on USMLE Step 1. A pass is required for promotion to the second year of medical school. The USMLE) is a multistep assessment required for medical licensure in the U.S. It is a three-step examination that assesses a physician’s ability to apply knowledge, concepts, and principles, and to demonstrate fundamental patient-centered skills, that are important in health and disease and that constitute the basis of safe and effective patient care. The three examinations:
- Step 1: Assesses foundational medical science typically obtained during the first two years of medical school.
- Step 2: Evaluates the examinee’s knowledge of clinical medicine.
- Step 3: Assesses the application of clinical knowledge to patient management.
Generally, the first two steps are taken by the student during medical school. The third step is taken after graduation.
Online Curricula: Self-Paced Learning
- Cultural and Linguistic Competence Health Practitioner Assessment (CLCHPA). This tool is designed to enhance the delivery of high quality services for diverse patient/client populations, and promote cultural and linguistic as essential approaches addressing health and healthcare disparities.
- MCHsmart Curriculum. Using the Maternal Child Health (MCH) Leadership Competencies as a guide, this online curriculum delivers the core content of a structured program in a format that is accessible to MCH professionals at all career levels, students, and current/future faculty. Learners work at their own pace and choose how deeply they want to explore the knowledge areas and skills for each competency.
- National HIV Curriculum – (4 week senior elective). The National HIV Curriculum provides ongoing, up-to-date information needed to meet the core competency knowledge for HIV prevention, screening, diagnosis, and ongoing treatment and care to healthcare providers and students.
Experiential Leaning: Scholarships, Internships, and Other Opportunities
- African-American Grants.org. Links grants and scholarship opportunities for Black students.
- American Medical Association - Through this program, African Americans can find grants for minority medical students through the AMA as well as other related sources, The program provides extensive information for minority medical students who are looking for grants to fund their research, residencies, and more.
- Dr. Marie Zakrzewski Medical Grant - This medical grant by Dr. Zakrzewski is a grant that is geared to help medical students in their quest to complete their education. Dr. Marie E. Zakrzewski Medical Scholarship is worth $3,500. This program fund is awarded annually.
- Foundation Education Award Scholarship - Each year, the Foundation of the Pennsylvania Medical Society offers the Foundation Education Award Scholarship. This $5,500 grant is provided to one African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, or Southeast Asian student. Aside from that, candidates will have to be US citizens.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute - The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has a special program that is designed for African Americans, minorities, and other disenfranchised groups to find the funding they need for medical school. This program also lists several other grants for other areas of medical practice on their website.
- Medical Diversity Scholarship Program - Each year, the program offers one scholarship prized at $2,000 per beneficiary to help worthy undergraduate students pursuing medical studies in the United States.
- Mary Holloway McCoo, M.D. and Wayman Glen McCoo, Sr. M.D. Scholarship - Annually, the organization accords two scholarships totaling $2,500 per semester to medical students. The scholarship is available to postgraduate and doctoral educators enrolled in an M.D. program at an approved institution or university in the United States.
- Sherry R. Arnstein Underrepresented Minority Scholarship - The Sherry R. Arnstein Underrepresented Minority Scholarship is titled after former AACOM Executive Director Sherry R. Arnstein. Since 2012, students have profited greatly from the initiative. AACOM actively supports the initiative.
- Student Of Color Scholarship - The Student of Color Scholarship is another top option made available by the Northwest Osteopathic Medical Foundation. Note that the scholarship program seeks to put money into the future of osteopathic medicine in the Pacific Northwest. Students from Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana are able to qualify for the scheme.
- The United Negro College Fund - Perhaps the most well-known African American grant programs, the United Negro College Fund is an organization that provides scholarships, grants, and other funding for African Americans to go to college. There are varied opportunities that you can find on this platform as an African American. Grants for minority medical students are available to African Americans through two different avenues in the program: the UNCF itself as well as the Merck Science Institute.
- AAHD Frederick Krause Scholarship - This program covers several other areas of medical program evaluation. The Federick Krause grant takes into the cognizance that the number of available grants that are open to students who identify as African Americans are quite stringent.
- American Medical Association (AMA). The AMA is a national organization that has different programs to help with funding. Minority Scholars Program is one of the most important funds for minority medical students. The program provides minority medical students with grants to fund their education, research, residencies, and more.
- Care for the Underserved Pathways AHEC Scholars Program (CUP AHEC Scholars Program). A two-year honors distinction program. It provides opportunities for health professions students to increase leadership skills, gain competencies in interprofessional education and team-based practice, understand and address health disparities and the social determinants of health in rural and underserved communities, and understand the role of practice transformation in addressing significant health and public health issues.
- Department of Education: Scholarships and Resources for HBCU Students. Part of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
- Fast Web Scholarship Database. Fastweb is a free scholarship search platform that connects students to scholarships and financial aid tools.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). HHMI selects researchers and grantees to support through competitions that have specific objectives and eligibility criteria.
- Lewis/Ferguson Internships and Fellowships. CDC’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE) supports the CDC John R. Lewis Undergraduate Public Health Scholars [Lewis Scholars; formerly CDC Undergraduate Public Health Scholars (CUPS)] Program and the Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases (Ferguson) Fellowship. These programs provide internship and fellowship opportunities for qualified undergraduate and graduate students to gain meaningful experiences in public health settings.
- Medical School Grants for Minorities. The "Ultimate List of Grants."
- Minority Scholarships, Medical School, Nursing, Public Health Tool. Search engine for scholarships and fellowships in Allied Health, Communication, Sciences and Disorders, Health Administration, Health Sciences, Medicine, Mental Health, Nursing, Nutritional Science, Psychology, Pharmacy, Premed, and Public Health.
- National Medical Fellowships. Scholarship search engine for African American/ Black Students. Their primary goal is to achieve equity of opportunity in medicine and equity of access to quality health care for all groups in American society by increasing the number of minority physicians and changing the face of medicine to better reflect and serve our diverse nation
- Student Educational Employment Program. HRSA's SEEP provides Federal employment opportunities to students who are enrolled or accepted for enrollment as degree-seeking students taking at least a half-time academic, technical, or vocational course load in an accredited high school, technical, vocational, two- or four- year college or university, graduate or professional school.
- Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research. NIH's program is for college, graduate school, and professional (e.g., medical, dental, pharmacy, etc.) school students.
- Student Opportunities at NIH. Registered Students at NIH are offered a wide range of research training programs aimed at enhancing a student’s knowledge and understanding of biomedical research while contributing to the achievement of an individual’s educational goals.
- Student Programs at CDC. CDC’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE) supports internship and fellowship opportunities for qualified undergraduate and graduate students to gain meaningful experiences in public health settings.
- UNIGO Black Medical Students Scholarship. The Black Medical Students Scholarship will be awarded to a current or future Black medical student across any medical specialty. This scholarship is part of the Mechanism Ventures Impact Grants Series.
- United Negro College Fund (UNCF). The UNCF is the most well-known African American grant program that offers many scholarships, grants, and fellowships to African American students.
- USAID Student Internships and Recent Graduate Programs. USAID offers paid and unpaid internships and fellowship opportunities to qualified, talented students and recent graduates.
Faculty Fellowships
- Faculty of Color Working Group: Mellon Fellowship. The Mellon Faculty of Color Fellowship program seeks to relieve scholars of these institutional hindrances by providing resources to reduce many of the barriers that make it difficult for faculty of color to research, think, and engage in their transformative work at their home institutions.
- Fellowships and Training Opportunities. CDC has many diverse fellowship, internship, training, and volunteer opportunities for students and professionals. Many of these opportunities provide invaluable experience and potentially offer clear cut paths to exciting careers with CDC.
- Hutchins Center for African and African American Research Fellowship Application. The Hutchins Center community is rich in programming and opportunities to network with scholars engaged in African and African American research.
- Individual Fellowships. NIH provides individual research training opportunities (including international) to trainees at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels.
- The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. JBHE Employment Zone - Fellowships & Professional Programs Database.
- National Endowment for the Humanities. Awards for Faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities -The NEH Awards for Faculty program seeks to strengthen the humanities at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) by encouraging and expanding humanities research opportunities for individual faculty and staff members.
- Postdoctoral, Early Career, and Faculty Programs. NIH provides support for mentored postdoctoral research experience opportunities to develop critical teaching and mentoring skills at a teaching-intensive partner institution with a diverse student populations.
Research Funding Announcements
- Grants.gov. A system that provides a centralized location for grant seekers to find and apply for federal funding opportunities. Today, the Grants.gov system houses information on over 1,000 grant programs and vets grant applications for federal grant-making agencies. Search for current funding opportunities.
- Office of Women's Health. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office on Women's Health (OWH) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services administers grant programs to support innovative projects to address critical women's health issues. These projects provide information, advance policies, educate health care professionals and consumers, and support innovative programs.
Trends and Data: National and Regional
- Application, Acceptance, and Completion for Medical School: PubMed List. This automatically-generated list of peer-reviewed articles is drawn from PubMed, the online database of the National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health.
- Recruitment, Retention, and Promotion: PubMed List. This automatically-generated list of peer-reviewed articles is drawn from PubMed, the online database of the National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health.
Health and Wellness: Health Equity, Disparities, and Cultural Competencies
- CLAS Standards. Culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) is a way to improve the quality of services provided to all individuals, which will ultimately help reduce health disparities and achieve health equity.
- FYI Weekly Health Resources is a weekly Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health email bulletin with links to information on grants, fellowships and scholarships, program resources and more.
- National Center for Cultural Competence. The mission of the NCCC is to increase the capacity of health care and mental health care programs to design, implement, and evaluate culturally and linguistically competent service delivery systems to address growing diversity, persistent disparities, and to promote health and mental health equity.
- Office of Minority Health. Part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this office is dedicated to improving the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of health policies and programs that will help eliminate health disparities.
- Specific Resources for Mental Health Needs of Black Students | Counseling Center. Developed by Gustavus Adolphus College, this web portal provides supports, web links, and contact information for local and national resources to address the specific needs of Black college students, including topics such as racial trauma and racial battle fatigue; mental health wellness resources; and focused resources for Black women, men, and LGBTQIA+ students.