The Foundation:
Programs-- Future Doctors, Future Nurses

Provident Foundation taking the lead in mentoring the doctors,
and nurses of tomorrow

In 1998, the Chicago Reporter released an in-depth analysis that brought to light the severe shortage of African American physicians in the Chicagoland area. The study revealed that while blacks make up the large majority of Chicago’s population, only 7 percent of the city’s physicians are black. More recently, the U.S. Bureau of Health Professions found that as a nation, we suffer from a shortage of about 110,000 nurses. If current trends continue, by the year 2020 that shortage will reach 800,000. Although the latter study was not race specific, the numbers still persist, suggesting that more African Americans need to be recruited into the medical field; particularly since healthcare experts agree that physician shortages can seriously impact the health of a community already disproportionately affected by many life-threatening diseases and medical conditions.

Enter the Provident Foundation. For the past ten years the organization has focused most of its efforts on preserving and maintaining the legacy of Dr. Daniel Hale Williams. But recently, they turned their attention to the future of medicine by founding the Future Doctors, Future Nurses and Healthcare Professionals Clubs.

“If we are serious about preparing our young people for the future, we have to connect them with professionals who can tell them that they can be more than athletes and entertainers,” said Jim Myles, the president of the Provident Foundation. “The way they begin to visualize themselves as doctors and nurses is to have opportunities to come face to face with real medical professionals,” he added.

So far the Provident Foundation Clubs have been established in four inner-city high schools: DuSable, Hyde Park, South Shore and Carver Military Academy. Two additional schools, Chicago Vocational and Dunbar will add the program to their extracurricular activities this school year. “The students have been very enthusiastic about joining,” said Margo Crawford, an education consultant. “Once they get the exposure and the access to different professions, they can’t help but get excited,” she added.

“Our goal is to help nurture and identify the next Dr. Daniel Hale Williams because the health of our community depends on it,” said Myles.

Membership to Future Doctors, Future Nurses and Healthcare Professionals is free of charge but students must be enrolled in a high school that hosts a Provident Foundation Club.

The Provident Foundation held a press conference on October 21, 2004 to officially announce the establishment of the Program. Chicago City College student nurses and Northwestern University medical students along with doctors and nurses from the community were in attendance.

For more information contact the Foundation at 773-363-4272.