Detroit - Wayne State University's Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has joined forces with the Detroit Catholic Pastoral Alliance to host a health care career night at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 23, 2015. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held in the parlor of the activities building at Sacred Heart Church, located at 3451 Rivard in Detroit.
"Community involvement and collaboration are at the center of what we do, and we are committed to strengthening Michigan's workforce by producing skilled, compassionate health care professionals. We encourage students who think they might like to work in the health field to attend this event to explore opportunities to learn, serve and enjoy rewarding careers," said Interim Dean Howard J. Normile. "We are excited about this partnership and look forward to working with the Detroit Catholic Pastoral Alliance and other organizations to promote health care careers, provide learning and mentoring opportunities, and prepare young people to enter academic programs and to serve in the health care industry."
The purpose of the event is to educate young people -- with an emphasis on disadvantaged students and underrepresented minorities -- about opportunities in the health care industry, expose them to health care professionals and encourage them to pursue health care careers. Participants will hear from a panel comprised of Wayne State faculty and staff, including Marquita Chamblee, associate provost for diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer; Jerry Herron, dean of the Irvin D. Reid Honors College; Dennis Parker, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice; and Donald Neal, manager of the College of Nursing's C2 Pipeline program, an afterschool initiative that engages high school students in college- and career-readiness activities. Attendees will also learn about the academic programs offered in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and hear about a day in the life of a health professional.
"The Detroit Catholic Pastoral Alliance represents 17 parishes in the city of Detroit, and we believe the faith community should be concerned about providing services that touch all aspects of residents' lives," said John J. F. Thorne, the alliance's executive director. "Education has often been the cornerstone of the religious experience for African Americans and other racial and ethnic groups. We want to make sure people have access to information and are connected to resources that allow them to take advantage of opportunities that will help them become productive, responsible members of the community."
According to the state and federal government, 79 of Michigan's 83 counties have areas with a shortage of primary care health professionals. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration and Bureau of Health Professions reported that several racial and ethnic minority groups and people from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds are significantly underrepresented among health professionals in the United States. Increasing diversity within the health care workforce will improve public health by helping increase access to care and communication, and trust between patients and practitioners.
"Enrollment of underrepresented minorities is low in health programs across the country. Developing partnerships with local organizations is one way we hope to address this shortage and promote greater diversity in health care," said Ronald Coleman, a pharmacist and volunteer chair of the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences' Diversity Student Recruitment Committee. "As part of a multicultural and international community, Wayne State is committed to providing students with a diverse educational environment. Giving students opportunities to learn, grow, and practice with people of different perspectives and persuasions benefits students, faculty, the community, and the health care industry."
For more information or to RSVP, contact John Thorne at 313-922-1435.
About the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
The Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is committed to advancing the health and well-being of society by preparing highly skilled health care practitioners and conducting groundbreaking research to improve models of practice and methods of treatment in pharmacy and the health sciences. To learn more, visit cphs.wayne.edu.
About Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering more than 380 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 28,000 students. For more information, visit wayne.edu.
About the Detroit Catholic Pastoral Alliance
Begun informally in 1967 by a group of priests who were Detroit residents, the Detroit Catholic Pastoral Alliance seeks to strengthen the quality of life in its communities by engaging members in the social, moral, political, and economic issues of the metro Detroit area. Its major programs focus on areas such as Affordable Housing, Economic and Commercial Development, Community Action, Spirituality, and Anti-Racism Training. To learn more, visit dcpasite.com.