by Minal Gowda and Belen Sime

In light of Minority Health Month in April, it is important to reflect on some of the major challenges for underrepresented communities in the health care field. Not only is there a lack of proper support for minority groups to access health care, but there is also a lack of representation for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color) among providers and leaders in health care careers. The discrimination that causes this doesn’t just start with the health care employment process; it begins well before. Disparities in the education system limit opportunities for minority groups, such as Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NH/PI), to succeed in the health care field.