Urban Health Program
Increasing Representation in the Health Sciences Heading link
The primary goal of the Urban Health Program (UHP) is to increase the representation of minority students in the health sciences and health professions. UHP provides programming, resources, and support for pre-health and health professional students who are dedicated to addressing persistent health disparities in minority populations and improving the quality and availability of healthcare in underserved urban areas.
The program represents more than forty years of partnerships and collaboration with program alumni, urban communities, and institutional partners in the Chicago metropolitan area and across the state. To date, UHP has graduated over 9,000 health professionals, and continues to engage and support students with innovative programs such as the Early Outreach Program and the Urban Health Club, which engages students from kindergarten through high school.
The health sciences at UIC have shown year-over-year increases in total enrollment of underrepresented minorities, rising from 25.1% for Fall 2018 to 29.8% in Fall 2021.
a quote from the UHP director Heading link
The Urban Health Program is consistently looking forward and we are ready to lead the way toward even greater progress. Progress means conducting a regular self-examination of the programs and opportunities creating a landscape anchored with the opportunity to better meet the changing environment in higher education, healthcare sector, and demographic, technological, and political atmospheres.
| Associate Dean for Student and Diversity Affairs and Director, Urban Health Program