Programs & Initiatives
Health Sciences Diversity Programs
Closing the diversity gap in the health professions and improving the quality of health care for underserved communities are the main objectives of our programs and initiatives. Increasing diversity of the health care workforce creates opportunities to begin working toward eliminating disparities and improving the quality of health care for underserved communities.
Our philosophy includes a five-pronged approach: starting early in the pipeline; working along multiple segments of the pipeline; cross-collaboration among health science schools; culture development to increase retention of faculty, staff, and students; and effectively leveraging and integrating partnerships.
The projects described below, as well as the many other projects health science-wide at Pitt, are essential to creating a health care workforce that resembles our very diverse nation. Visit the links to learn more about our programs and initiatives.
AspiringDocs.org »
AAMC Campaign to Increase Diversity in Medicine
Pitt is one of the four pilot sites of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) AspiringDocs program. The AAMC is strongly committed to changing the face of medicine to address the needs of diverse communities. The AspiringDocs.org® website is a free resource designed to complement and enhance the long-standing efforts of the nation’s medical schools to increase diversity.
COACH »
a Program for University of Pittsburgh Pre-health Students
Creating Opportunities and Access to Careers in Health (COACH) is an undergraduate program that engages Pitt undergraduate pre-health professions students in developing competitive portfolios beginning in their freshman year. In collaboration with University Housing's Pre-health Living Learning Community and the Honors College, COACH students participate in programming that provides students with specific information and advice about the necessary tools to be competitive applicants for health professions school. Through COACH, students set milestones, monitor their academic and professional development, evaluate their personal growth, and track their progress toward becoming a competitive applicant into UPitt health professions school.
Diversity Speaker Series: "Diversity in Practice" »
brown bag speaker series for faculty, staff and students
The University of Pittsburgh’s Office of Health Sciences Diversity’s (OHSD) Brown Bag Speaker Series : "Diversity in Practice" is currently underway. Each month, a lecture is presented by an expert on various topics focusing on diversity and inclusion in the work place, health professions education, and health care, and is hosted by one of the health science schools.
The goal of the Diversity Speaker Series is to engage Pitt's health science community in a discussion of issues around a range of topics focusing on diversity and inclusion in the health professions.
For more information about the Speaker Series, please contact us.
UPIRTA »
Post-baccalaureate Research Program for Minority Students
The University of Pittsburgh Intramural Research Training Award (UPIRTA) is a highly competitive post-baccalaureate research program that pairs talented underrepresented students with biomedical researchers investigating antibiotic-resistant infectious diseases or autism. Faculty from the Department of Medicine's Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Epidemiology, The Department of Pathology's Division of Clinical Microbiology, and others will mentor and supervise the experiences of UPIRTA scholars. The scholars who successfully complete the one-year post-baccalaureate program will be well-prepared for application to a biomedical research doctoral program at Pitt.
