PrIMES: A Targeted, Data-Driven, Longitudinal Approach to Closing the Healthcare Education Diversity Gap
With your help we can grow our mentorship program into a sustainable force for increasing diversity in medical school education and ultimately impact systemic healthcare inequities.
The percent of minority US medical school graduates has barely changed in the past 45 years. However, our population is becoming more diverse. Ethnic and racial minorities are not well represented in medicine and this greatly contributes to systemic health inequities.
Pairing underrepresented minority students with current medical students or young physicians who mentor them through the challenging process of becoming a medical doctor as a minority. Our program is an individualized, data-driven curriculum that addresses their unique barriers and challenges.
To date, 157 Mentor/Mentee pairs have participated in the PrIMES Program over three Cycles. Currently Cycle 3 includes over 200 Mentors and Mentors from all over the country. Our current funding expires this year. To continue our expansion and impact we need your help!
Our program mission, vision, and needs.
Meet our Mentees
"Not a lot of people have the necessary exposure to mentorship, especially when it comes to this journey into medical school. And as premeds from underrepresented communities, that's key to our success. Hence, I'm glad to be part of the PrIMES family. Absolutely, there are always engaging events organized to learn from other medical students and on different topics affecting the status quo of medicine. My mentor, Dr. Chang, has been a great ally and a huge supportive force of guidance in my preparation towards the MCAT, and balancing such rigorous classes, while also working at the same time. He's pretty cool dude, that's for sure, and I'm glad to have him as my mentor. All the high-fives to the staff at PrIMES...I'm glad to be a part of the PrIMES family. Thanks for making this journey of ours a little bit more sublime."
— Baffour Amponsah-Antwi (Future Cardiothoracic Surgeon)
“PrIMES matched me with my mentor, Dr. Motazedi, who has helped me understand the medical school admissions process better. So far, we have talked about preparing for the MCAT, building resiliency in my study habits, and searching for clinical opportunities. Without PrIMES, I would be lost in this process. I am so grateful to have not only a mentor, but also a community to lean on!”
— Stephanie Secaira (Future OBGYN)
"I like how PrIMES is very engaged with the Mentees. There are always events happening and it's encouraging to see how much we can learn from people. I like that they set up with Mentors that are in the same field as you aspire to be in. I love the resources they provide along with what other Mentees provide."
— Edwina Mensah (Future Pediatrician)