About Us
Project MED (Medicine, Exposure, Development)
Project MED is a community-based organization that focuses on educating and preparing high school students for careers in healthcare, particularly in underserved communities in the Chicagoland area.
Our Mission
Our mission is twofold: 1) to expose high school students to the breadth of opportunities in the healthcare field and 2) to prepare students for a successful pathway to a career in healthcare. In order to actualize our mission, we have developed a three-pronged approach, including workshops (MEDLearn), mentorship (MEDLead), and an online opportunities database (MEDLaunch).
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We aim to address large disparities in educational opportunities in healthcare, which often translate to further disparities in health outcomes. This harsh reality is reflected by the average demographics of U.S. medical schools: 49% white, 23% Asian, and less than 15% African American or Hispanic. Evidently, the current systems in place—including the education system and healthcare career pathway—are not built to support URMs. Our goal is to help bridge these educational inequities by encouraging an education in STEM or healthcare and inspiring students in considering a future healthcare career. We hope to offer resources and enrichment opportunities that are typically not accessible for URMs to spark their drive to make an impact. By diversifying the healthcare field, various perspectives are greatly expanded, which will reflect a more diverse and equitable nation in the long run. Thus, providing exposure to healthcare career paths can significantly reduce health inequities in underserved communities.
We encourage visitors to explore our website to learn more about the work we do.