CAIMH

 

The Center of American Indian and Minority Health strives to reduce health disparities in our American Indian Communities by recruiting and retaining American Indian students in the health professions. 

In 1973, the first University of Minnesota DHHS SHCOG (now known as HCOP) funded Native American into Medicine (NAM) program was established, which continues to this day, most recently funded in 2008.  Other disparate activities for Native youth were carried out with in various departments at University Minnesota Medical School Duluth.  In 1987, the Minnesota Board of Regents incorporated these activities and officially brought all American Indian student programs under one organized umbrella, the Center of American Indian and Minority Health (CAIMH).  CAIMH was one of the four original Native American Center of Excellence (COE) programs funded in 1991 through 1996 and has been refunded three other times through 2005.

The influence of CAIMH on the Twin Cities campus and across the Minnesota Academic Health Center campus grew during the 1990’s as the number of programs and participants increased.  In 1993, CAIMH opened an office at the Medical School Twin Cities (MSTC) campus to meet the needs of students within the campus community and since has developed exceptional working relationships with the MSTC staff and faculty.  Through its presence on the two campuses and ability to offer a variety of programming and services, CAIMH annually assists approximately 30 disadvantaged medical students as they work towards the successful completion of their medical degrees and encourages more than 200 students considering entering health-related professions.