St. George’s University to Expand Relationship with NYC Health + Hospitals, Strengthening Pipeline of Future Doctors

St. George’s University announced today that it has renewed and expanded its relationship with NYC Health + Hospitals to bolster the pipeline of physicians from diverse backgrounds into New York’s healthcare system.

The agreement extends opportunities for SGU medical students to complete clinical rotations at affiliated NYC hospitals during their third and fourth years of study. Following completion of basic sciences studies at SGU, students will continue their medical training in clinical environments in the NYC Health + Hospitals system. Training and learning as members of care teams, these students gain first-hand experience in a range of medical fields while contributing directly to serving and caring for patients.

“We’ve partnered with NYC Health + Hospitals for nearly two decades to achieve our mutual goals of diversifying the nation’s healthcare workforce, bringing physicians to underserved areas, and opening doors for talented students from historically underrepresented backgrounds,” said Dr. Marios Loukas, Dean of St. George’s University School of Medicine. “We’re thrilled to continue that important work in the years ahead.”

“New York City is one of the most diverse places in the world. It’s critical that our healthcare providers reflect the patient population they serve,” said Machelle Allen, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals. “Expanding our relationship with St. George’s will help us achieve that goal — and improve patient access to culturally competent providers.”

The agreement also increases the number of full-tuition medical school scholarships awarded through the SGU School of Medicine CityDoctors scholarship program from 12 to 15 each year. It will also create 100 full scholarships for employees of NYC Health + Hospitals to pursue a Master of Public Health from SGU, a program accredited by the US Council on Education for Public Health.

“We’ve partnered with NYC Health + Hospitals for nearly two decades to achieve our mutual goals of diversifying the nation’s healthcare workforce, bringing physicians to underserved areas, and opening doors for talented students from historically underrepresented backgrounds.”

“Applying for the CityDoctors Scholarship is one of the best decisions I have ever made. The training I received at St. George’s University and NYC Health + Hospitals gave me the expertise necessary to attend to the mental health needs of our community, especially now as the demand for services is increasing” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi Attending Physician Eric Behar, MD. “I cannot fathom where my medical career would be without this program. CityDoctors and NYC Health + Hospitals taught me the importance of giving back to our community. I highly encourage all aspiring physicians to apply.”

To date, the CityDoctors program has made a career in medicine possible for more than 80, many of whom now practice in the communities in which they were raised. To qualify, applicants must be New York City residents or graduates of a New York City school. Applicants who are employed by, or have a parent or grandparent employed by NYC Health + Hospitals or the City of New York are also eligible. Scholarship recipients must commit to serving in the NYC Health + Hospitals system after residency, one year for each year of full tuition scholarship received. Interested students may access the application here.

SGU’s Master of Public Health program produces leading public health practitioners and researchers on a global scale. Fully accredited by the US Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), it is a one calendar year program in three academic terms, which can be completed online. Interested NYC Health + Hospitals’ staff may apply using SOPHAS, the centralized application service for Public Health programs.

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