Diversity Study Highlights Regional Perspectives

Jordan Hammock, a psychology student at the University of Portland, took on a daunting, yet vital project to address diversity in healthcare. She developed and conducted an in-depth survey of high school students, college students, healthcare professionals and healthcare customers to explore the current disparities in the Oregon healthcare system. Her insightful approach to seek varying perspectives provides a foundational platform from which to determine what measures and actions can be taken to promote more diversity in healthcare.

One top finding:

Jordan’s research revealed that among both ethnically underrepresented and ethnically overrepresented high school students, mentorship was the resource most students felt they needed in order to be successful.

Mentorship has been shown to increase a desire and perceived ability in the mentee to pursue a career in the same field as their mentor. Such findings have guided MIKE Program to even more thoughtful ways to reinforce diversity in all aspects of our programming.