NEW ORLEANS, LA, UNITED STATES, April 7, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Louisiana-based 15 White Coats®, a Black physician-led nonprofit dedicated to providing economic and professional support to those from underserved communities aspiring to be physicians and promoting culturally appropriate literature and imagery in learning spaces, has launched the HBCU Tethered Tour.

The HBCU Tethered Tour is an 18-month program developed by the 15 White Coats and powered by Genentech. It is designed to support, uplift, and inspire the next generation of underrepresented physicians.

“We are thrilled to kick off the HBCU Tethered Tour and look forward to all the incredible campuses and students we will get to visit over the next 18 months. This is a critical step forward in the 15 White Coats mission to empower and provide the resources for future underrepresented physicians to pursue careers in health care,” said Lisa Batiste, Executive Director of The 15 White Coats.

The tour will bring valuable resources, facilitate important conversations, and highlight mentors in the medical space for Black and Brown students. The 15 White Coats aims to connect, inspire, and prepare these students for a future in medicine.

“Our work to empower future underrepresented physicians is about much more than financial support. We provide them with mentors who look like them, come from similar backgrounds and can understand their lived experiences. I, our co-founders and volunteers, look forward to reaching new students on campuses across the country who may be considering a career in healthcare,” said Dr. Rusell Ledet, Co-Founder and President of the 15 White Coats.

The HBCU Tethered Tour will run through September of 2026 with stops this spring at major universities, including Dillard, North Carolina A&T State University, Florida A&M, and Fayetteville State University.

Those who wish to join the 15 White Coats in accomplishing its mission can join the 250/50 Impact Circle Initiative, where they can sign up and pledge a $50/month contribution for 12 months. This funding will go towards scholarships, MCAT preparation, and mentorship for students interested in entering the medical field.

KEY STATS:
A 2023 study found that only 5.7% of US doctors are Black.
Following the Supreme Court decision to ban the consideration of race in university admissions, the enrollment of Black students in medical school dropped 11.6% in 2024 compared to the previous year.

In 2024, Black students made up 8.8% of all medical students matriculants, a decrease from the 10% of matriculants in 2023.
Research has shown that when Black patients are cared for by Black physicians, they experience better health outcomes, feel more comfortable and are more likely to adhere to their recommended treatment.
Having a mentor that looks like you is an important benefit to students and has been shown to lower instances of imposter syndrome.

About The 15 White Coats®:
The Louisiana-based 15 White Coats is a nonprofit launched in 2019 to help the next generation of minority physician aspirants by providing visual inspiration and economic support with hopes of diversifying healthcare for marginalized communities. The organization is named after a photo of 15 African American Tulane University School of Medicine medical students standing in front of a slave quarter at the Whitney plantation in Edgard, Louisiana.