October 2nd 2023.
At the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 2023 Annual Legislative Conference, the National Medical Association’s 8th Annual Professional Development Series focused on healthcare transformation, including the shortage of Black physicians.
Senator Bernie Sanders spoke about this issue and the Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act that he is co-sponsoring. He expressed his hope that the bill would significantly expand the number of Black doctors in the U.S. by providing $300 million to medical schools that focus on graduating primary health care physicians, with a 20% carve-out of $60 million for minority medical schools, primarily HBCUs.
The Association of American Medical Colleges has conducted research on the topic, and has found that only 5.7% of U.S. doctors are Black or African American, a shortage with far-reaching and negative effects on the lives of people of African descent. This is why the NMA and the AAMC are working together to increase the low numbers of Black male physicians, an enrollment which has only increased from 2.4% to 2.9% since 2014.
Senator Sanders joined NMA’s 124th president, Dr. Yolanda M. Lawson, to speak at the session. Dr. Lawson was elected President in July 2023 at the association’s national convention in New Orleans. After the event, she shared her gratitude for Sanders’ presence and his insights into potential solutions to the Black doctor shortage.
Throughout the day, physician leaders and healthcare experts discussed pressing topics such as a national nutrition strategy, 340B drug pricing, changes to Medicaid, diversity and inclusion, the Black physician workforce, maternal and reproductive health, the HIV epidemic, and the National Cancer Plan. Joy D. Calloway, Executive Director of the NMA, noted that their mission remains timely and critical; to amplify the voice of the Black physician, the Black patient, and the Black community.
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