New York City-based NYC Health + Hospitals unveiled a new effort Feb. 8 to encourage people from underrepresented backgrounds, ranging from middle schoolers to graduate medical students, to join its physician workforce.
The new initiative is called Medical Opportunities for Students and Aspiring Inclusive Clinicians, or MOSAIC. The effort includes several programs focused on youth training, recruitment and a Visiting Scholars Program, which will place medical students from underrepresented backgrounds in clinical rotations across different specialties at NYC Health + Hospitals.
The Visiting Scholars Program will fund up to 10 scholars in its first year and up to 30 scholars in subsequent years, according to a health system news release. Scholars selected for the program will receive a stipend and a housing allowance for those outside of the region. Applications are available online through April 28.
The MOSAIC initiative also has partnerships with organizations to provide middle and high school students with resources to prepare for a career in healthcare.
"NYC Health + Hospitals' new MOSAIC initiative will expose more young New Yorkers of color to working in healthcare and provide them access to mentorship from leaders in the field — paving the way for good, stable jobs and a bright future, while simultaneously giving New Yorkers access to doctors that have experienced many of the same issues they have had in the past," New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement.