Ochsner Health is a system that delivers health to the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf South with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate.
Ochsner Program To Introduce Medicine to Underrepresented Students (OPTIMUS)
Program Description
OPTIMUS is the Ochsner Program To Introduce Medicine to Underrepresented Students.
To help eliminate health disparities in minority communities, Ochsner has developed OPTIMUS.
OPTIMUS exposes elementary to college age students from underrepresented* backgrounds to medicine as a career option.
The program involves using mentors at Ochsner from underrepresented backgrounds to provide education about career options, hands-on simulations, experiments and tips on preparing for careers in medicine.
Examples of OPTIMUS Events:
- “Premed Career Conference for Underrepresented Minorities in Medicine” (2020)
- “A Virtual Health Career Panel: Introduction to Allied Health Professions” (2021)
- “Virtual Healthcare Simulations” (2 events in 2021)
- “Premed Career Conference (2022, 2023)
- Local outreach to schools
- Simulation activities and panel discussions
- OASIS (undergraduate college summer internship)
