$5M gifted for creation of first-ever Black medical school in New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Leaders with Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine announced on Tuesday, Aug. 6 that the organization has received seed funding for the creation of the first HBCU medical school in the Gulf South in New Orleans.
Bloomberg Philanthropies awarded the medical program $5 million to support its creation founded by HBCU Xavier University of Louisiana and Ochsner Health.
The university, which is known for its “strong track record of sending graduates into the medical field,” along with the Gulf’s leading not-for-profit health system Ochsner Health, announced its partnership last year.
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“As the only HBCU medical school in the Gulf South, Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine will train physicians who reflect the diversity of the communities they serve and help address a critical healthcare shortage in the region,” said President of Xavier University of Louisiana. Dr. Reynold Verret.
XOCOM leaders explained the reason for the program’s existence was to “address health disparities in diverse communities and help fulfill the urgent need for more Black and brown physicians in Louisiana and the nation.”
“Our continued partnership will build the institutional wealth of the historically Black medical schools, boosting their ability to provide the best training possible for current and future students. Ultimately, the benefits of this gift will be realized in the communities where the next generation of Black doctors practice and among patients who receive their care,” said Garnesha Ezediaro, who leads Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Greenwood Initiative.
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Bloomberg Philanthropies’ contribution is a part of its Greenwood Initiative, which is “an effort to advance racial wealth equity by addressing systemic underinvestment in Black institution communities.”
Four Black medical schools currently exist, according to XOCOM officials. They are:
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science
Howard University College of Medicine
Meharry Medical College
Morehouse School of Medicine
They are the recipients of $600 million in order to bolster their endowments and strengthen their financial stability and institutional capacity to combat the rising tuition costs, research and operations.
“We have much more to do to build a country where every person, regardless of race, has equal access to quality health care – and where students from all backgrounds can pursue their dreams,” said Bloomberg.
The school will be located at Benson Tower in the BioDistrict of Downtown New Orleans.
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