Introduction

Our healthcare system is strongest when the people who provide care reflect the people who receive it. Yet today, Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, immigrant, and first-generation students remain underrepresented in medicine, nursing, and the allied health professions. The barriers are not talent or ambition; they are mentors, money, and access.

The Sparx Foundation Health Workforce Diversity Initiative invests directly in the next generation of clinicians. We pair aspiring health professionals with practicing mentors, fund the test preparation and certifications that open doors, and partner with hospitals and schools to give every participant a real seat at the table.

About the project

What we do

• Pipeline mentorship matching students with practicing physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals.

• Scholarships for the MCAT, PA-CAT, NCLEX, and other admissions exams and prep courses.

• Application coaching, including personal statements, secondary essays, and interview preparation.

• Clinical shadowing and pre-clinical placements through hospital and clinic partnerships.

• Tuition and exam scholarships for entry-level credentials including CNA, EMT, medical assistant, and phlebotomy.

• A summer Health Career Exposure Program for high school students from underserved schools.

Building the Next Generation of Healthcare Professionals

Mentorship, scholarships, and career pathways for first-generation and minority students pursuing health careers.

Our impact

• Target cohort of 15-25 mentored students in year one, with retention above 80%.

• 5-10 adults supported through entry-level certifications and into the healthcare workforce.

Documented gains in participant confidence, academic readiness, and career planning at six and twelve months.