A true culture of health cannot exist without people of all backgrounds and perspectives having access to and representation within the physician workforce. Physician diversity is essential to begin to transform health culture, empower scientists and researchers under-represented in academic medicine and improve delivery of quality care for Americans.

Reducing disparities requires proactive investment in the talented aspiring physicians who are denied acceptance to medical schools because, on paper, they are not as qualified as their well-resourced peers. The mission of the HOPE Collaborative is to provide supports to systematically increase the number of physicians and researchers from Michigan communities of economic need where there is a shortage of quality healthcare. Only 5% of medical school matriculants are members of families from the lowest economic quintile, while a full 24% are from the top 5% of income earners.

The Michigan HOPE Collaborative exists to address these specific needs by supporting core student success services, professional development opportunities, and much-needed facilitated group learning. We are building a contemporary proactive framework to connect and expand resources and partner with local and national community agencies, public health officials, school systems, and programming at the University of Michigan Medical School and Michigan Medicine to equip current and future HOPE Scholars to achieve Excellence Beyond Limits. Together we can make transformational investments in the success of diverse physicians that will pay dividends to the citizens of Michigan for generations to come.