Why do we need more black doctors?

BDOFL flash cards will feature Black medical doctors from across the country. The idea was initiated years ago, but  re-ignited during the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the pandemic, we heard a lot about doctors “being on the frontline”. As Black doctors, we have always been on the frontline, trying to improve the health of our community while addressing health disparities. Over the past year, there has been an enormous amount of media coverage of the pandemic, however we have seen very few Black doctors invited to  participate in these on-air discussions.  It provides the false perception that qualified Black doctors do not exist.

 We hope to achieve 5 things with these flash cards:

1. To change the image of what a doctor looks like in America
2. To celebrate Black excellence in the field of medicine
3. To provide positive, Black role models for children and young adults in our community
4. To provide a platform for the community to interface with Black doctors
5. To help inspire the next generation of Black doctors

These cards are designed for everyone, not just the Black community. We want everyone to learn about the great contributions of Black doctors past, present, and future. The cards contain information that are age appropriate for children, teen-agers, and adults. We encourage individuals to share the cards with friends, family members, and everyone in your village.  We also encourage educators at all levels to use them as an educational tool, and as a means to inspire your students to achieve their goals.

We will feature a diverse array of Black doctors from across the country. The doctors will come from several different practice settings… community- based practices,  hospital based practices, or  academic medicine.  We will also have doctors that are no longer practicing clinical medicine, but are involved in research, industry, government, or business. In addition to information about their education and career, there will be a QR code on the back of the card that you can scan and learn the amazing, personal stories of the featured doctors.

To accent the fun, entertainment, and pride these cards will instill,  we will have “Affinity Decks” that will be grouped  by  Black doctors that are 1)  HBCU alumni, 2)  members of Divine 9 organizations, and by medical specialties, and  geographic location of practices.

We encourage you to refer any black doctors you would like to see featured.

We are simultaneously developing the digital version of the cards. We are very excited about this because it will significantly expand the opportunities for how the content can be delivered and consumed.

• early exposure to medicine as a career choice
• access to physician role models
• guidance to help navigate the application process
• financial resources to help pay for the application process, and money for scholarships