Intermountain Healthcare and Black Physicians of Utah to host First Medicine Immersion Day for Black students

Intermountain Park City Hospital and Intermountain Heber Valley Hospital were both individually recognized for their performance and high quality patient care. Photo: Intermountain Healthcare

SANDY, Utah — In a press release from September 21, Intermountain Healthcare announced the first Medicine Immersion Day, a community mentorship event to benefit students of color from around the state by helping them learn about careers in medicine. They will collaborate with Black Physicians of Utah to organize and host the event, which will be held on September 24 at 10:00 a.m. at Alta View Hospital.

The event is designed to provide the opportunity for Black high school seniors and college students pursuing careers in medicine to meet mentors from doctors in various fields of medicine. The full-day event will include workshops, panels, and more activities to “fully immerse students into a day in the life of a physician.”

Scott Roberson, administrator of Intermountain Alta View Hospital, said the following about the event:

“Alta View Hospital is proud to partner with Black Physicians of Utah for this first ever event. Our hope is that this Immersive Medicine Day will inspire young Black students across the state to consider careers in medicine. Since education and vocation are such important social determinants of health, inspiring Black youth to consider a career in medicine will go a long way toward fulfilling our mission of helping people live the healthiest lives possible.”

Richard Ferguson, MD, represents Black Physicians of Utah for the event. He said the following about the importance of mentorship in any professional field:

“I strongly believe in the saying ‘If you can see it, you can be it. Mentorship by Black and allied providers gives guidance and opportunities to groups, like African-Americans in Utah, who may be overlooked for opportunities in medicine. I would not be where I am today if it were not for the mentors that fostered my interests in science and medicine at an early age.”

Registration for the event is already full, and will not be taking any additional participants at this point.