Proud to be from Pittsburgh: Journey to Medicine

PITTSBURGH — The Association of American Medical Colleges says a shortage of minority doctors is one of our nation’s top health care challenges.

Gateway Medical Society of Pittsburgh is determined to meet that challenge with its Journey to Medicine program.

Marshall McArthur and other 10th grade students are part of the program for minority youths. The boys recently watched Dr. George Magovern perform open heart surgery.

“We want to get boys interested in medicine,” Gateway Medical Society Executive Assistant Tamara Reese said.

Reese said the mentorship program introduces African-American boys to careers in medicine.

“They love it. They're excited. They would never see this,” she said.

“I think it's just intriguing to see what's inside your body and to get to know a little more about yourself and your anatomy,” Marshall said.

The Journey to Medicine group is hosted by Allegheny General Hospital's Open Heart Surgery Observation Program.

Since 2009, AGH has opened its heart surgery observation room to high schoolers from all over Western Pennsylvania.

“We've probably had 10,000 students visit in the last 10 years, and they’ve all uniformly enjoyed the experience,” Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Chairman Dr. George Magovern.

“We have kids who have maybe never considered a career in medicine - they might be going in a different direction - and this experience today, you see a spark go off and it changes their life forever,” AGH Open Heart Surgery Observation Program Coordinator Pat Wolf said.

Journey to Medicine works with students starting in the sixth grade, and every student from the program’s first graduating class is headed to college this fall.

For more details about enrolling in the program,

CLICK HERE

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Cox Media Group