As a first-generation college student with immigrant parents and an obstetrician/gynecologist clinician, Camille A. Clare ’92 understands the challenges many face navigating college and medical school. As Associate Dean of Diversity and Inclusion at the School of Medicine and Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at New York Medical College (NYMC), she helps underrepresented medical students overcome barriers to the success.

Clare’s work for NYMC focuses on recruiting Black, Hispanic, and Asian-Pacific Islander students. She is collaborating with colleagues at NYMC to develop an anti-racism curriculum. Additionally, the school is launching a program to give marginalized or economically disadvantaged students the opportunity to start medical school early and receive educational assistance.

“We’ve had a number of successes over the years,” says Clare. “We have been able to increase the number of underrepresented medical students to approximately 20% of our class. There are more accommodations for students with disabilities. We have increased our focus on the LGBT population. We have gone from a one hour to a five hour program in which our students learn from [LGBTQ] the patients.”

The effort to create a diverse and inclusive learning environment is not just about having more people of color in the halls of a medical school. Being exposed to different races and cultures is great preparation for being in a clinical setting where patients will come from a variety of backgrounds.

“Our goal is to develop a culturally competent medical workforce,” Clare says. “How can everyone raise their standards and overcome implicit biases? How do you hold your colleagues accountable when they say or do something wrong?

“What we’ve seen with the unfortunate death of George Floyd and others is that the students have held us accountable for what the school is doing,” Clare says. “How can we best support them and combat microaggressions in the learning environment? »

Clare credits her time with the Charles Drew Pre-Health Society at Binghamton University for helping her through her medical school journey. It is a framework where peers help each other. Having been in the working world for nearly three decades, she still has a helping spirit and continues to be involved with the Binghamton Chapter. The society aims to recruit, retain and support students from underrepresented ethnic groups in their careers.

“I joined in my freshman year at Binghamton, and a lot of people didn’t really know the organization,” Clare says. “We rechartered it, and it really changed our lives. Most of us were interested in med school, so we held peer-to-peer workshops on things like enrolling in med school, the MCAT, and financial aid. We also took road trips and attended open houses to learn more about the schools we wanted to apply to.

“Most of us went to medical school. I am determined to carry on the legacy because I have been so touched meeting my peers. Having that peer support with rigorous coursework as a pre-med is so essential and helpful on this journey.