Xavier University is partnering with Ochsner Health in creating a new college of medicine. University President Reynold Verret said the partnership will help create a strong physician pipeline to address inequities in healthcare.
“The need for physicians of color is great. African Americans alone are still only five percent of American physicians in the U.S.,” said Verret.
Verret said Xavier, the only historically Black and Catholic University in the county, is grounded in the premise of social justice.
“Xavier is uniquely poised to contribute to really improving and strengthening medical education in the formation of talent to serve this country,” said Verret.
This isn’t the first partnership between the two institutions, in the 1980s Ochsner offered clinical training spots for Xavier pharmacy students. Verret said together they can increase the number of Black physicians and better serve the healthcare needs of marginalized populations.
“Together with this historic agreement, Xavier and Ochsner have heeded the call to advance the health of this state, the nation, and the world,” said Verret.
The university’s pre-med program has the distinction of sending more Black students to medical school than any other college. Xavier’s College of Medicine will be the fifth Black medical school in the country.
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