(JULY 31, 2024) Anne Dougherty, M.D.’09, M.A., director of gender equity at the Larner College of Medicine, and Rachel Wetchi, M.P.H., spoke with WVNY-TV about UVM’s New American Youth on the Rise (NAYR) program.
Students at a New American Youth on the Rise event
(JULY 31, 2024) Anne Dougherty, M.D.’09, M.A., director of gender equity and associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences, and Rachel Wetchi, M.P.H., outreach coordinator for obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences, spoke with WVNY-TV about the New American Youth on the Rise (NAYR) program, which offers middle and high school age girls from immigrant families the chance to see what impact they could make in the health care field.
Gender and racial inequalities in the health care field have long been an issue, and it’s a problem that can start with early education. The NAYR program, developed at the University of Vermont, has secured a large chunk of funding to help guide future health care leaders. Dougherty says, “We know that health outcomes improve when providers look like the patients in the community they serve … Through representation and trust, we move ourselves towards health care equity.”
Rachel Wetchi, M.P.H., core director of New American Youth on the Rise and outreach coordinator for obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences, explains, “We had the idea of collaborating to complete this program to inspire immigrant girls in Vermont to pursue a career in health sciences.”
As core director, Wetchi has a personal connection to the program’s success—she immigrated from the Democratic Republic of Congo 14 years ago to pursue a college career in health sciences.
“It took me a long time to understand the process of getting into the medical field, because of a lack of guidance and lack of understanding the system and how to navigate it,” she said. “Now, being part of this program that will actually provide the support that the students need to fulfill or get into this career, it’s very important and what inspired me the most.”
This news was also covered by WCAX-TV.
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