Photo courtesy of Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine
"HBCU medical schools have long been engines of opportunity.”
—Lauren Smith, MD, MPH, Vice President of Strategic Portfolios, RWJF
Strengthening the Healthcare Workforce With HBCUs
Every person needs access to health professionals who understand them, a system that serves them, and quality care that meets them where they are.
Photo courtesy of Meharry Medical College
To address health inequities, we must invest in people.
That’s why RWJF is supporting the leadership of Historically Black College and University (HBCU) medical schools. As institutions of belonging for students of all backgrounds, HBCU medical schools have a storied history of training physicians who are not only competent—but who provide deep care and connection to community needs.
Leading Change and Bridging Gaps
For more than 150 years, HBCU medical schools have been building the future of care. They have trained generations of physicians, scientists, and health leaders who expand access to care, advance inclusive research, and strengthen trust between communities and providers.
Though HBCUs represent only three percent of U.S. medical schools, they educate nearly 70 percent of the nation’s Black doctors and dentists. HBCU medical school graduates are more likely to practice in primary care and to serve communities that lack healthcare. As America faces a looming physician shortage, with the steepest deficits in primary care, HBCU medical schools are positioned to help bridge the gaps.
HBCU medical schools are addressing structural and systemic barriers within the healthcare system—despite chronic underfunding. RWJF aims to increase support for greater collective action and to honor their contributions at a scale that matches their importance to our nation’s health.
Innovation and Impact
HBCU medical schools are leading beyond the classroom by:
- Meeting Workforce Needs: These institutions educate clinicians who remain in communities most affected by physician and other healthcare shortages.
- Driving Innovation: HBCU medical schools lead in AI, data science, and community-based care.
- Modeling Excellence: The institutions provide medical training that merges rigor, empathy, and responsiveness.
- Building Belonging: By creating environments where diverse students thrive, these schools are building a future of medicine that reflects the nation’s diversity.
Meet the Schools
The work of HBCU medical schools (four existing and two forthcoming) spans biomedical research, clinical training, and data science. They are tackling challenges that shape the health of the nation.
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU)
Training physicians in Los Angeles’ safety-net hospitals and clinics, CDU ensures graduates gain experience where the need is greatest and remain in high-need communities to expand access and trust.
Howard University College of Medicine
Howard is advancing breakthroughs in precision medicine, cancer research, clinical trials and neuroscience, while sustaining pathway programs for future physicians and scientists.
Meharry Medical College
As a leader in data-driven innovation through its School of Applied Computational Sciences, Meharry is using AI and data science to improve diagnosis, clinical decisions, and outcomes.
Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM)
Leveraging the Health Equity Tracker from its Satcher Health Leadership Institute, MSM is mapping disparities nationwide to guide prevention initiatives where they are needed most.
Morgan State University
By building the nation’s first public, nonprofit HBCU medical school, Morgan will strengthen Maryland’s healthcare workforce and community-centered medical education.
Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine (XOCOM)
Establishing the Gulf South’s only HBCU medical school, XOCOM will expand access, address physician shortages, and strengthen the regional workforce.
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A New Strategy
RWJF’s support of HBCU medical schools is part of a broader strategy to build a healthcare workforce that is capable, compassionate, and diverse. The next phase of investments will be to other academic institutions with proven success in this area, including Minority-Serving Institutions and medical schools that educate large numbers of Latin@ and Native American students.
The health of the nation depends on those who care for it.
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