FROM THE SPONSORS WHO BACK THEM.
>> MINORITIES ACCOUNT FOR MORE
THAN HALF OF OUR LOCAL
CORONAVIRUS CASES.
BUT EVEN BEFORE THIS PANDEMIC
MINORITIES HAD LESS ACCESS TO
DOCTORS AND QUALITY HEALTHCARE.
>> TONIGHT CHANNEL
2 INVESTIGATORS BILL SPENCER
SHOWS US HOW U OF HAD.
AND OTHER LOCAL MEDICAL SCHOOLS
ARE WORKING TO CHANGE THE VERY
WAY MEDICINE IS TAUGHT TO
ASPIRING DOCTORS TO BRING FAR
BETTER CARE TO LOW INCOME AND MINORITY COMMUNITIES THAT NEED
MINORITY COMMUNITIES THAT NEED
IT MOST.
>> HEY, HOUR DOING?
>> FINE, HOUR.
>> Reporter: ASHLEY HOWARD HAS
FOUND HER DREAM JOB.
AS A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER
TRAINED BY AND WORKING FOR THE
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
SHE SPENDS HER DAYS NOW HELPING
PEOPLE IN THE SAME POOR MINORITY
COMMUNITY THAT SHE GREW UP IN
LIVE HEALTHIER LIVES.
>> BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT EDUCATED
ABOUT HEALTH, YOU KNOW, LIKE
GROWING UP IN A POOR COMMUNITY,
ESPECIALLY MOSTLY PREDOMINANTLY
BLACK, YOU ARE NOT TAUGHT ABOUT
HEALTH.
>> Reporter: A FORMER CERTIFIED
NURSE’S AID AND AIDE AND A SINGL
RAISING TWO CHILDREN BY HERSELF.
ASHLEY KNOWS FROM EXPERIENCE
PEOPLE GROWING UP IN
UNDERSERVED, LOW INCOME
NEIGHBORHOODS FACE HUGH BARRIERS
WHEN IT COMES TO GOOD
HEALTHCARE.
>> MY JOB IS TO TEACH THEM.
THAT’S WHY I TOOK UP THIS COURSE
SO I CAN COME BACK TO THE
COMMUNITY, AND TEACH THEM WHAT I
LEARNED.
>> Reporter: THE COVID-19 CRISIS
MADE IT EVEN MORE APPARENT
PEOPLE LIVING IN MINORITY
COMMUNITIES SUFFER FROM A LACK
OF HEALTHCARE AND MORE WHEN A
SERIOUS DISEASE POPS UP.
OF THE MORE THAN 16,000 CASES OF
COVID-19 DIAGNOSE ED IN HAIRS
COUNTY 2600 VICTIMS ARE WHITE,
2900 VICTIMS ARE BLACK AND 5,500
OR HISPANIC.
A WHOPPING 22% OF PEOPLE IN
HAIRS HARRIS COUNTY CAN’T AFFORD
TO SEE THEIR DOCTOR.
IN TEXAS 18.3% CAN’T AFFORD FOR
SAY DOCTOR.
IN UNITED STATES THAT’S EVEN
LESS AT 12% OF.
OF THOSE THAT CAN’T AFFORD TO
SEE A DOCTOR, 13.5% ARE WHITE,
21.5% ARE BLACK.
AND 30.4% ARE HISPANIC.
>> OUR MEDICAL SCHOOL HAS AS
IT’S A MISSION TO IMPROVE THE
HEALTH AND HEALTHCARE OF OUR
POPULATION. WITH A REAL FOCUS ON TRAINING
WITH A REAL FOCUS ON TRAINING
MORE PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS TO
SERVE, UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
>> Reporter: NOW THE BRAND-NEW
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON COLLEGE OF
MEDICINE IS LAUNCHING GROUND
BREAKING PROGRAM AIMED AT
BRINGING MORE DOCTORS FAR BETTER
TREATMENT AND BETTER OVERALL
HEALTHCARE TO POOR COMMUNITIES.
THEY ARE DOING IT BY ENCOURAGING
MORE MINORITY STUDENTS TO TRAIN
TO BE PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS.
AND ASSIGNING THOSE WOULD-BE
DOCTORS TO WORK WITH ONE SINGLE
LOW INCOME FAMILY FOR ALL FOUR
YEARS OF THEIR EDUCATION.
>> BASICALLY WE STAY WITH THAT
FAMILY ALL FOUR YEARS.
AND WE LEARN WHAT IT TAKES TO
REALLY TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR
THE HEALTH AND FOR THE COMPLETE
HOLISTIC HEALTH OF THE FAMILY.
>> Reporter: MAYA IS BOTH
AFRICAN AMERICAN AND AMERICAN
INDIAN AND IS ONE OF THE 30
MEMBERS OF THE U OF H COLLEGE OF
MEDICINE’S INAUGURAL CLASS HER
ENTIRE 100,000-DOLLAR TUITION IS
BEING PAID FOR BY THE SCHOOL.
AND SHE SAYS HER ULTIMATE GOAL
IS TO SET UP SHOP AND TREAT
PEOPLE SOLELY IN UNDER SERVED
MINORITY COMMUNITIES AND GREATLY
IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH.
>> NOW I CAN FIGHT FOR MY PEOPLE
AND FIGHT FOR OTHERS THAT I FEEL
LIKE ARE GOING THROUGH THE SALE
THING THAT I SAW MY COMMUNITY GO
THROUGH, OR SIMILAR INSTANCES
AND I CAN BE A PART OF THAT
FIGHT.
>> Reporter: THE UNIVERSITY OF
HOUSTON IS NOT ALONE IN TAKING
BOLD STEPS TO IMPROVE HEALTHCARE
FOR POOR AND MINORITY
COMMUNITIES.
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL
BRANCH BAYLOR COLLEGE OF
MEDICINE AND YOU FEEL IT.
HEALTH ARE OFFERING CLASSES AND
OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM PROJECTS
TO BETTER TEACH THESE STUDENTS
HOW TO GREATLY IMPROVE
HEALTHCARE IN UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES.
YOU CAN READ WHAT THE SCHOOLS
ARE DOING AT OUR WEBSITE
CLICK2HOUSTON.COM.
I AM BILL SPENCER, KPRC CHANNEL