With African-Americans making up just 6% of medical school graduates, the nation's upcoming physician shortage looks even more bleak. Twin doctors are trying to change that.
Brittani Jackson-James and Brandi Jackson in late 2018 created MedLikeMe, a free website that helps people underrepresented in healthcare ask questions and learn more information about healthcare careers.
Both twins—who hail from Twinsburg, Ohio—completed residencies at the University of Illinois at Chicago and are graduates of Cornell University. While Brandi is a psychiatrist and Brittani a family physician, the two have common goals with their website: diversify the healthcare field and ensure better care for underserved groups.
Jackson-James told the Chicago Tribune, “We wanted to create the resource we wish we had when we were trying to figure out how to be doctors. There are so few of us, and we're spread so thin.”
Their website has discussion boards where medical students can ask professionals from a range of backgrounds questions about their fields. The mission is to give younger LGBTQ medical students and students of color what they say they've been missing: mentors.
“Trying to find our voice was a journey. It's hard, and this project came from not wanting others to feel that way,” Jackson said.
