Join a Free Virtual Health Careers Job Fair!

Share On Social!

A step toward a career in health is one click away.

The Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP) is offering a free virtual health careers job fair for individuals looking to kick start their career in health.

On Tuesday, Jan. 23, and Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, the Virtual Health Professions Fair is giving potential SHPEP applicants, high school and college students, parents, and academic advisors a chance to mingle with school representatives in various health areas from across the country.

Throughout the fair, those registered to attend will learn about different aspects of the health field, including application and standardized test strategies, the program itself, and the importance of diversity and representation in the healthcare field.

REGISTER NOW!

The Importance of Diversity in Healthcare

Lack of healthcare diversity and representation, especially in the Latino community, is a barrier to equitable healthcare for underserved communities.

While Latinos make up 19.1% of the US population, only 6% of physicians belong to the Latino community. As for nursing, only 5.3% of registered nurses are Latino.

The absence of Latino healthcare professionals has a negative impact on the quality of care Latinos receive.

Medical professionals are held to high standards, which includes giving fair and equitable treatment.

However, when providing care, physicians can make generalizations about patients based on stereotypes, such as neglecting to mention a type of treatment assuming the patient can’t afford it.

This is known as implicit bias, and even when done unconsciously, it can have a powerful effect.

Studies have shown that white doctors tend to have stronger implicit preferences toward white patients, which can impact the type of care minority patients, such as Latinos, receive.

How to Reduce Implicit Bias in Healthcare

A diverse healthcare workforce that accurately reflects the entire population can minimize implicit bias, according to health experts in a recent webinar.

Another way to reduce implicit bias is to understand it better yourself.

You can start by downloading the free Salud America! Action Pack “Health Care Workers and Researchers: Find If You Have Implicit Bias and What to Do Next.”

“This Action Pack will help you see if you have implicit bias, learn from others who have overcome their own implicit bias, and encourage colleagues to learn about implicit bias, too,” said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio.

GET THE ACTION PACK!