Medical school fights on against misconceptions of South L.A. – Annenberg Media

Robberies. Shootings. A lack of resources. For many, that’s what first comes to mind when they think of South L.A. Despite negative stereotypes, pockets of passion, vibrancy, gathering, and impact exist within the community. The Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Willowbrook is one of these. The university’s brand-new medical school opened its doors this past July with a historic first class of 60 students––mostly made up of people of color. During the fall blocks, the program has provided students with a myriad of opportunities, resources, and even community service activities in the wider South L.A. that are pushing them to grow both professionally and personally.

“There are a lot more Black and Brown individuals that would like to get into medicine than people may realize,” Aarin Huffman, a first-year medical student and member of the inaugural class, said.

According to a survey conducted by the American Association of Medical Colleges, 56% of active physicians identified as White, about 5.8% identified as Hispanic, and another 5% identified as Black or African American.

This data demonstrates the lack of access into the medical field in specifically Black and Brown communities, which starts in high school or even earlier. Yet for residents of South L.A. who mostly make up those populations, having physicians who share similar identities can be transformative.

“Moving from high school to college, I think it was really just access to resources that would have helped to increase the minorities within health professions, such as the medical doctor track, that we didn’t have. I think it boils down to the resources,” Huffman said.

Originally from Birmingham, AL, Huffman decided to become a doctor after seeing a lack of access to medical facilities and services in rural Lincoln, AL where she went to church. This, paired with her deep love for people, sparked a curiosity within her to ask herself how she could help.

“This program opens up a wide array or wide door for the community to heal. I’m not saying that it’s essentially broken down to the point of no return, but health care wise, it’s broken because of the access that is not there for it,” Huffman said.

Providing all 60 students with access to basic resources, such as the school’s library, a laptop, a stethoscope, a blood pressure monitor, a white lab coat, and a diagnostic kit, the university strives to help mitigate any financial barriers they may have. This ideology is based on Dr. Charles R. Drew’s values, an African-American physician who pioneered in blood preservation work.

Following Drew’s impact, CDU’s mission emphasizes humanity and empathy before anything else. During Gateway, a six-week orientation, students were able to connect, get to know each other, and develop friendships with their peers as they transitioned into medical school.

“We talked about or we had lectures that were around social justice matters, which is a big mission and value of the school,” Huffman said.

Then, classes kick off with a white coat ceremony. Instead of semesters, CDU’s curriculum is structured around blocks of five to six weeks. Gateway is the first block. Anatomy and physiology represent the second block, the next block is genetics and embryology, and lastly comes biochemistry. This gives students a well-rounded understanding of the material and preparation to work in the real world.

“What makes that better also is the faculty and staff. They make us feel like we’re winners. Like we can do this,” Huffman said.

Dr. Margarita Loeza, the Assistant Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs at CDU, enjoys working with passionate students in the inaugural class.

“We’re looking for students that are mission driven and mostly from the community and that want to serve the community of South L.A.,” Loeza said. “They seem happy and engaged and enthusiastic and they seem very proud to be part of the first class.”

CDU’s new medical school is just one of the many uplifting developments that are transforming the South L.A. area, bringing new hope and opportunities for growth.

“It doesn’t just do it for LA County. It’s starting in LA County, but it’s starting a revolution. Not in a bad way. I like to use revolution, like John Lewis used to say, as good trouble,” Huffman said.