Changing the Face of Medicine

Many people of color are at greater risk for poor health outcomes, in part because of the low number of Black, Hispanic and Latino doctors in the United States. UB’s Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences is taking a bold approach to equity in healthcare, including partnering with donors to attract more underrepresented students.

In 1880, UB’s first Black graduate received his medical degree. Today, UB continues to make progress toward a more diverse medical school (we’re above the New York State average), but there is still more to be done. That’s why we’re proud to offer scholarships to help attract underrepresented students, bring more voices to the medical community, and transform the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Katherine Foote always knew she wanted to be a physician, partly because, “I had a doctor who looked like me.” But the high cost of medical school (and the resulting loans) was overwhelming. The Vazquez scholarship, says Foote, “helps take away some of the burden to even get into medical school, and then to get through it.” Now, Foote is working toward her dream of becoming a doctor and building a practice built on trust, where all patients are welcomed, cared for and respected.

As the owners of Urban Family Practice, Raul and Toni Vazquez have spent decades providing high-quality healthcare to nearly 15,000 people of color in Buffalo. They’ve gone above and beyond to address social determinants of health—for example, offering free transportation to the doctor. Now they’re ensuring their legacy continues through the Vazquez Family Scholarship, which supports historically underrepresented UB medical school students who intend to practice in primary care within New York State.