TAMPA, Fla. — The Association of American Medical Colleges project that the United States will experience a shortage of up to 124,000 physicians by 2034 due to an increasing demand that surpasses the available supply.

According to the association’s study, the representation of Black doctors in the medical field stands at a mere 6% and Hispanic doctors at nearly 7%.

A program in Tampa focuses on enhancing the high school-to-pre-med pipeline for Black and Brown students.

“I currently start FSU in the fall,” said Logan Young. “I’m very excited to go. I’m in the honors medical program.” 

Young recently graduated from Bloomingdale High School and has been selected as one of only 12 students in that exclusive program.

He is now embarking on a career path that no one in his family has pursued before.

“I hope to become a doctor,” he said.

Young dedicated himself to the pre-med track by staying focused on his studies and taking dual enrollment classes.

“I definitely had to put in three classes over the summer on top of my regular classes,” he said. “I’ve been working hard to get these scholarships.”

His work didn’t stop there. 

Logan volunteered with several Tampa Bay nonprofits in which, he says, he learned where healthcare was needed the most, yet lacking. 

Like in Plant City, where he completed some of his community service hours at various locations, including farms for his Bright Futures scholarship. 

“I have friends there,” said Young. “I think that is a community that needs some help. They definitely have people there that don’t have health insurance. They go to community things and I think that coming back and helping, making sure that they have the quality care that they need because they deserve it. A lot of people there are hard workers.“

In his essay for the Gentlemen’s Quest of Tampa scholarship, he shared how his experience motivated him to give back to the Hispanic community and the uninsured.

“We pride ourselves on opportunities that we provide, exposing young men to professions/occupations you don’t hear of,” said a Gentlemen’s Quest of Tampa representative.

The program and scholarship aims to offer a helping hand to graduating high school seniors who have encountered serious hardships such as academic obstacles, financial constraints, or family adversity. 

Young is one of their 2023 scholarship award recipients. 

He says he excelled with the support of his family. 

“I just want to thank my parents,” he said.

As Young ends this chapter of his academic journey, another will be starting in Tallahassee this fall, though he says his community won’t be far from his thoughts.

“I definitely think that coming back will help, but it will help me a lot. I think that is definitely a calling for me,” he said.

When he returns, he’ll be equipped with more knowledge and better prepared to tackle the health inequalities affecting his community.

Gentlemen’s Quest of Tampa handed out over $25,000 in scholarships to Black and Brown seniors in Hillsborough County. 

For the ninth year in a row, they celebrated their impressive record of a 0% recidivism rate and 100% graduation rate at their gala.