Sept. 16, 2021 — Henry Young II, M.D., was first drawn to the field of medicine after watching his father serve his small community of Cordele, Georgia, as a family physician. He attended Georgia Southern University, where he majored in biology, and went on to attend the Medical College of Georgia. He completed his emergency medicine residency at the University of Florida, where he served as chief resident in his final year.

As a Black male in medicine, Young knows firsthand the impact of having role models to look up to and the importance of improving diversity and inclusion in medical school. His goal is to understand why the percentage of Black men in medicine has decreased and learn how medical professionals can help make a difference to improve the rate.

“There are actually fewer Black men in medical school now than in the ’70s, which is terrible,” Young said. “We want students to know they belong, and we need them here.”

As a health professional active in UF Health’s Keys 2 Success, Young mentors pre-professional students from underrepresented backgrounds and students from rural areas with limited access to health care, helping them take their first steps toward a career in medicine.

The program launched in March and is funded by a grant through the UF Racial Justice Research Fund, which was initiated last year by UF President Kent Fuchs and the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer to support research and scholarship that will inform understanding of the Black experience, racial justice and diversity, equity and inclusion on campus and beyond.

“The Keys 2 Success program encourages academic and personal growth as well as wellness and a sense of belonging among minority students,” said Young, a clinical assistant professor and assistant residency program director in the UF College of Medicine Department of Emergency Medicine.

Leaders from all areas in the UF Health academic health center encourage academic excellence, personal growth and wellness through their mentorship with 30 pre-health Black students. The students participate in monthly two-hour sessions. The first hour is reserved for exposing students to health professions with a panel of health care providers dedicated to a specific profession, while the second hour pertains to a theme focused on professional development and wellness that changes monthly.

Each Keys 2 Success scholar has a peer mentor in the professional school in addition to a faculty mentor. Young is active in mentoring multiple scholars in the program.

“It’s been fun to be engaged in all of these programs,” Young said. “I try to provide the support and mentorship I can. Career exploration with a diverse group of health professionals is really key to empowering young students to see themselves in those roles in the future.”

Young participates in multiple programs at UF Health, including the Study of Teen Opioid Misuse and Prevention, or STOMP, Lab at HealthStreet and Black Men in Medicine, which similarly aim to provide mentorship, support and scholarship for students.

“It’s not just about how many people go into medicine or how many people go to vet school; we want to give these interested students all the support they need to be successful in accomplishing their goals,” Young said.