Scholarship & Scholars Program Work Together to Increase Minority Enrollment
Fulfilling Helen O. Dickens’, MD, vision for diversity in medicine and justice in health care only begins at inspiration and representation. As Dickens demonstrated while associate dean of minority admissions at the University of Pennsylvania, it requires leadership, determination, and the means for students to follow the trail one has blazed.
The recently expanded Penn Access Summer Scholars (PASS) program, coupled with the new Helen O. Dickens, MD Scholarship, aims to do nothing less than become a model for the nation – in addition to producing exceptional physicians and researchers.
“As one of Dr. Dickens’ recruits, I benefited from her visionary community-building,” said Horace Delisser, M’85, RES’88, FEL’91, associate dean for diversity and inclusion and associate professor of Medicine. “And she inspired generations of young physicians, particularly those from backgrounds that are underrepresented in medicine and those who seek to address disparities in health care. I’m honored to continue her work to recruit a student body that reflects the diversity of our communities.”
Access, Excellence, and Opportunity
Maryam Alausa
Penn Access Summer Scholars (PASS) is an eight-week program designed to encourage and support undergraduate students from groups that are underrepresented in medicine (UiM) who are interested in pursuing medical school. More than experiencing what life is like for a medical student, these scholars begin the critical process of building their academic, professional, and support networks – ingredients to success that many take for granted.
“There were resources that I didn't even know I needed, and PASS gave me exposure very early on in my undergraduate career,” explained Maryam Alausa, C’19, M’23. “I also gained mentors along the way who solidified my decision to pursue medicine.”
Over the course two summers, PASS students conduct and present research, shadow physicians, and visit student-led community clinics. They get to know both the city of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine faculty, administrators, and staff, and develop lifelong personal and professional relationships.
The program also offers many of the new humanities-focused curriculum enhancements offered at Penn, such as discussions on narratives and art; thanks to donor support, the program was able to quickly leverage technologies that preserved this singular educational experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alausa credits the experience as one of the most formative of her life. She is currently researching hair and skin diseases specific to Black women and volunteers with CUT Hypertension, a program aimed at reducing the prevalence of high blood pressure in Black men in Philadelphia. She also serves as VP of Curriculum for PennHealthX.
“It means so much to me that I am able to pursue my passions for uniting communities of color and discovering ways to finance equitable, affordable, and accessible healthcare for all. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have been a PASS student.”
To broaden the program’s reach, the Perelman School established partnerships with several historically Black colleges and universities. “PASS is critical to achieving the educational goals of our school, and expanding the program is a major component of improving diversity in recruitment,” Delisser said.
More than a Tribute
For more than 10 years, Perelman School of Medicine students have volunteered through the CUT Hypertension program to perform blood pressure checks and talk about preventive health with primarily Black patrons in local barbershops. This is one of the activities Maryam Alausa, C’19, M’23 has engaged in during her medical studies after her undergraduate experience in the Penn Access Summer Scholars program.
In addition to the sense of camaraderie and cohesion established around a shared experience, those PASS students who meet the Perelman School’s academic and professional requirements are offered admissions linkage and support after matriculation.
As one could imagine, competition is intense for these high-achieving UiM undergraduates. Currently, 80 percent of students who complete PASS attend medical school; 68 percent enroll at Perelman. To ensure that cost does not act as a barrier to admissions – and equity – the Perelman School launched the new Helen O. Dickens, MD Scholarship, to support a student who has completed the PASS program.
“A student in the entering class will incur total expenses of nearly $400,000 during their four years of medical school,” said Brett Davidson, senior executive director of Alumni Development & Alumni Relations, “so financial aid is critical to matriculate the best qualified students at Perelman regardless of the ability to pay.”
“We have been absolutely thrilled by the response from our alumni and donor community,” he continued. That includes a $500,000 challenge gift from an anonymous donor, which means other contributions to the Dickens Scholarship will be matched dollar-for-dollar through the end of the 2022 fiscal year.
“Now is the time we can meaningfully live up to Dr. Helen O. Dickens’ ideals of justice, diversity, and inclusivity,” said J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, executive vice president of the University of Pennsylvania for the Health System and dean of the Perelman School of Medicine. “With the PASS program and Helen O. Dickens, MD Scholarship, we’re able to transform this historic moment into a movement – and inspiration into positive change.”
By setting an example for other schools to follow, the reach and influence of your support of the Dickens Scholarship and PASS program extends far and wide. You’re invited to contact Brett Davidson at 215-898-9175 or Brett2@upenn.edu to learn more about the Dickens Scholarship match or any of the Perelman School’s inclusion, diversity, and equity efforts.