Every day, we strive to advance global health equity and access. However, a thriving health ecosystem that works for all can only be achieved when everyone – regardless of race, zip code or socioeconomic status – has equal access to quality and affordable healthcare. 

Today, many communities across the United States are continuing to face a slew of social and structural barriers when trying to access care, and often struggle to navigate today’s complex healthcare system for themselves and their families. When it comes to improving health outcomes for these populations, an often overlooked part of the solution is increasing the number of diverse and culturally competent healthcare professionals who can mitigate health barriers for these individuals.

There is currently a critical shortage of healthcare workers who are representative of underserved groups in America. Despite comprising almost 14% of the national population, Black Americans make up just 5.7% of all physicians. Even more concerning is this number has remained mostly stagnant since the 1940s. The same situation is true among Latine communities – they represent 19% of the population, but only 6.9% of physicians. Addressing these inequities should be an urgent priority if we want to improve care for communities that are most in need of quality services and support.

Study after study suggests that increased racial diversity in medicine helps improve overall health outcomes for minority populations. The history of systemic racism in healthcare has led many patients from underrepresented populations to express higher levels of medical mistrust due to the prevalence of stigma and discrimination when interacting with providers. When a healthcare provider shares the same race or ethnicity as the patient, the patient is more likely to trust the provider, and the provider is more likely to take the patient seriously. For example, Black physicians play a crucial role in reducing cardiovascular mortality rates among Black patients, and improving health outcomes for this demographic more broadly. 

Research also shows that when there is a language barrier between patient and physician, patients are less likely to adhere to medical advice and attend follow-up appointments. This is especially true for Spanish speakers, who are the most underrepresented group in comparison to population. Increasing the number of Latine physicians in the Bay Area and beyond, especially those who speak Spanish, is critical to strengthening care services for these individuals. 

Poor health outcomes are also exacerbated by the United States’ growing physician shortage. In fact, it’s estimated that by 2036, the U.S. could see a shortage of nearly 90,000 physicians. This shortage, combined with the deficit of diverse healthcare professionals, has serious impacts on health outcomes. 

The good news is that there are proven solutions being implemented to address this issue head on. The Gilead Foundation recently launched the new Healthcare Education, Access and Leadership (HEAL) Initiative, which is providing $5 million in funding toward building a more representative, culturally competent healthcare workforce in the Bay Area, with a specific focus on supporting diverse students in San Mateo County, San Francisco County and Alameda County.

Building the next generation of healthcare leaders starts with getting more students to become interested in pursuing a career in the healthcare industry and reducing the financial barriers to pursuing a healthcare career. Through the HEAL initiative, community organizations in the Bay Area will help create a diverse healthcare workforce by expanding healthcare education, career-building and networking opportunities for students from underrepresented populations. Additionally, HEAL is working with these organizations to provide scholarship opportunities and paid internship opportunities for underrepresented students pursuing healthcare careers.

It’s going to take significant investment at the earliest stages of healthcare career education to have diverse representation in medicine. By providing underserved students with access to healthcare education and career-development opportunities, we can significantly advance health equity and access for all. 

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Kate Wilson is Executive Director of Public Affairs at Gilead and President of The Gilead Foundation where she directs each of the Foundation’s philanthropic pillars including the strategic programming to advance a thriving health ecosystem. As a leader in philanthropy, Kate is committed to addressing disparities in healthcare and education, and catalyzing allyship into action to advance impactful diversity, equity and inclusion. She has been a key architect in the design and development of numerous enterprise-wide strategic initiatives focused on advancing health equity for underserved communities.