Hundreds of students from Long Island and New York City attended the third annual Renaissance School of Medicine (RSOM) Youth Summit at Stony Brook University on November 13. The event, organized in partnership with the university’s Black Men in White Coats chapter, aimed to encourage young people from underrepresented backgrounds to consider careers in healthcare.
More than 500 students ranging from third to twelfth grade participated in workshops, panels, and mentorship sessions led by over 100 faculty, staff, and student volunteers. Activities included ultrasound demonstrations, CPR lessons, laboratory exercises, and a robotic surgery simulator.
The summit focused on representation within medicine. According to data, only about 5.7 percent of physicians in the United States identify as Black or African American while this group makes up approximately 12 percent of the population. The Stony Brook chapter of Black Men in White Coats was established in 2022 to address this gap and show students that they can succeed in medical fields.
“We focus on addressing the disparity present among the physician workforce today,” said Reinaldo Powell, a second-year medical student and president of the Stony Brook chapter. “There are very few individuals who look like me in these positions. I wanted to use this opportunity to show that it is possible, and to show these students that you being here today is a testament to your intelligence, determination and resilience.”
Judith Brown Clarke, Vice President for Equity and Inclusion and Chief Health Equity Officer for Stony Brook University and Health System, told attendees: “You belong in college classrooms, labs, research, hospitals and leadership positions. This is an invitation to picture yourself in a white coat. Let yourself be inspired, but most of all listen to your inner voice that says ‘I can do this.’”
Dean Stacy Jaffee Gropack described different career paths available within healthcare beyond becoming a doctor: “’Dare to Be’ means having the courage to step into the unknown,” she said. “We need your ideas, your energy, your heart. Healthcare is a calling to improve lives.”
Student participants engaged directly with hands-on learning experiences throughout the day. Eighth grader Angely Andrade highlighted her experience learning CPR: “If I can’t be a doctor and I see someone in need, I want to have the skills and be able to help.” She also expressed newfound interest after learning about anatomy.
High schoolers attended information sessions on financial aid as well as presentations about RSOM’s programs including those at its Schools of Dental Medicine; Health Professions; Nursing; Social Welfare; Simons STEM Scholars program; plus panel discussions featuring current healthcare workers.
Mentorship was another key theme at the summit. Dontae Teuton shared how meeting professionals who looked like him encouraged his pursuit of medicine: “When I finally met one [physician], it inspired me to keep going… Having young people see that it is possible can really help them along their journey.” Jerome Belford emphasized how guidance through undergraduate programs made his own path accessible: “It made the process feel possible… Now I want to make that accessibility part of what younger students see when they come here.”
Executive Vice President for Stony Brook Medicine William Wertheim encouraged students by saying: “Every person here… is on a different journey, and all of those journeys began with moments like this.”
Cardiothoracic surgeon Allison McLarty delivered the keynote address describing her personal journey from Jamaica through surgical training at Mayo Clinic despite facing doubts about her future as a doctor due to her background: “Dream. Be determined. Recognize your destiny,” McLarty told attendees. “And do not say ‘no’ to yourself. You never know what might happen if you say ‘yes.’”
Powell concluded with encouragement for future generations: “If you believe in yourself and say ‘I want this more than anything,’ you can make it happen… And then you can inspire the next person.”
