Leadership in Health Disparities Program (LHDP)

The Leadership in Health Disparities Program (LHDP) developed from the Stanford Medical School’s Early Matriculation Program (EMP) that began in 1984 to promote academic careers in medicine among minority and disadvantaged medical students. Over the past decades, the EMP was successful in helping students achieve academic and leadership careers. Yet, because of the persistence of health disparities in the nation, the EMP has evolved into the LHDP to create the next generation of physician leaders to address health disparities.

Today, the LHDP is available to all matriculating medical students. It includes a summer earlymatriculation component directed at initiating a successful medical and leadership career, and a two year-long leadership seminar series during the school year focused on increasing student’s knowledge of health disparities and the roles of physician leaders. We encourage those students who are interested in careers addressing health disparities to consider this program.

The summer is comprised of a seven-week program that is offered during the summer quarter preceding the first year of medical school.  It offers students the following activities:

• Introduction to population disparities
• Meetings with the medical school’s leadership and community health leaders

• Exposure to research opportunities with faculty in one of the scholarly concentrations

• Weekly sessions on developing leadership skills in medicine
• Course on integration of concepts of basic science with clinical science

• Interactions with medical students, residents and faculty interested in health disparities

• Early clinical experiences in ward and outpatient services

• Assist in the transition to medical school

• Building community with faculty, residenets and classmates

Students matriculate for the summer quarter and pay a reduced tuition rate. Participants receive a research assistantship which covers the research rate tuition and salary covering the 7 week program. Financial aid is not available.