The Michael Reese Research and Education Foundation recently expanded its commitment to health equality by establishing the Michael Reese Research and Education Foundation Center for Health Equity Research at Rosalind Franklin University with an $877,200 grant. The foundation also provided funding for two full-ride scholarships to Chicago Medical School for students from underrepresented student groups in medicine.
Scholarships that promote equal access to education in the medical field are imperative to addressing the social advantages and disadvantages established for diverse types of students.
There is overwhelming evidence of health disparities in medicine but currently extremely limited research to develop strategies to eliminate these disparities. The Michael Reese Research and Education Foundation’s philanthropic partnership providing scholarships to create this new center is a monumental first step in reducing health disparities.
On the center’s importance, Ronald S. Kaplan, Ph.D., the Executive Vice President for Research, says, “The support from the Michael Reese Research and Education Foundation for the newly formed Center for Health Equity Research is essential to the future of this center.”
The center will leverage the university’s partnerships to develop and test interventions that will reduce inequity and prevent chronic disease. This provides valuable data that will help healthcare providers and the community work together to implement sustainable and meaningful solutions.