Memphis needs more Black doctors. This new partnership wants to help
More Black Memphians should be able to seek care from physicians who look like them, health and educational leaders say. Four groups across the state have now collaborated toward that goal.
Nashville's Meharry Medical College is partnering with Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, University of Memphis and Church Health with a focus on expanding access to education, training and research for Black medical students in Memphis, West Tennessee and across the state.
"Now more than ever, Black communities around the nation, especially here in Tennessee, need greater access to preventative care and to providers that they know and trust — providers who look like them," said James E.K. Hildreth, Sr., president and CEO of Meharry.
The group announced the collaboration Dec.14, as the first people in the country were receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. That significance shouldn't be lost, said Michael Ugwueke, president and CEO at Methodist Le Bonheur, since most who have been impacted by COVID-19 in Memphis are Black.
"So I am excited (and) looking forward to this relationship, because I truly believe it will be transformative for our community and for our healthcare system," he said.
The partnership is one of a handful Meharry is part of, all with emphases on augmenting and diversifying medical personnel across the state, and illustrates one way that the small, private college can "have a larger impact," Hildreth said.
About a month ago, Meharry announced a partnership with Tennessee State University to increase the number of Black physicians and dentists working in underserved communities. Since 2017, Meharry has worked with Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro on a program to fast-track physicians to underserved rural communities.
In Memphis, leaders from each organization said, the partnership will be able to address health equity from a variety of lenses to include patient care, training for Memphians and related research, all with a goal of improving care and retaining high-quality professionals.
Specifically, the collaboration will result in new clinical trainings and clerkships for Meharry and U of M students and Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare residents, and provide U of M students "direct and preferred" access to postgraduate medical and biomedical sciences programs at Meharry.
"This to us is one way that we can truly bring our resources to bear to make sure that we have well trained African American physicians in Memphis that are from Memphis for the most part, so they can connect with people in Memphis and have trusted relationships," Ugwueke said.
The group wants to improve the patient-to-physician ratio for Memphis, as well as its ratio of specialists per person, according to a press release. Memphis is also facing increasing rates of diabetes and HIV, per the release, and some lowered life expectancies.
In addition to training students to become physicians, the U of M plans to contribute research to improving existing health inequities such as these, said M. David Rudd, university president. Research from the collaboration aims to advance discovery in disease treatment and improved effectiveness of community services. Rudd also pointed out that COVID-19 has revealed more about these existing inequities.
Faculty research would show "some of the significant health disparities that need more attention, more focus, better understanding. We can strategically partner to target those disparities," Rudd said.
The partnership plans to create a clinical affiliation with Church Health. Founder and executive director Scott Morris hopes the partnership can give hope to young Memphians who want to become physicians.
"That door has not always been open to people of color," Morris said. "But here in Memphis, what better place to make this happen."
Laura Testino covers education and children's issues for the Commercial Appeal. Reach her at laura.testino@commercialappeal.com or 901-512-3763. Find her on Twitter: @Ldtestino