POC still lack full representation in health care

REPORTER JEDDYJOHNSON ..CATHERINECOLLINS, FORMERNURSEPRACTITIONERDR. CATHERINECOLLINS IS AFORMER NURSEPRACTITIONER WHOSERVED IN THEWESTERN NEWYORK COMMUNITYFOR MORE THAN 40YEARS.

SHE SAYSTHROUGHOUT HERCAREER..

IT HASALWAYS BEENDIFFICULT TO FINDANOTHER NURSEWHO LOOKED LIKEHER."THERE'S ALWAYSBEEN A DEFICIT INTERMS OF AFRICANAMERICAN PEOPLEIN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM."COLLINS JOINEDTHE HEALTH FIELDON A WHIM."I ACCIDENTALLYSTUMBLED UPON ANURSES AID JOB INHIGH SCHOOL."AND HER CURIOSITYTO LEARN MOREABOUT THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM..

LEDHER TO THECAREER SHE HASTODAY."THANK GOD WEHAVE LIBRARIESAND I LIKE TOREAD."BUT MANY PEOPLEOF COLOR DON'TJUST ACCIDENTALLYSTUMBLED ACROSSA CAREER INHEALTH CARE ..

ANDCOLLINS BELIEVETHAT'S DUE TO ALACK OFEXPOSURE."YOU CAN'T BE ME IFYOU CAN'T SEE ME.IF YOU CAN'T SEEDOCTORS THATLOOK LIKE YOU ORLOOK LIKE ME..

YOUWON'T KNOW THATIT'S POSSIBLE."COLLINS SAYS ITWASN'T UNTIL HIGHSCHOOL TH.

AT SHESAW HER FIRSTBLACK SCIENCETEACHER."AND WHEN THISGENTLEMANWALKED INTO THECLASSROOM ANDSAID THIS IS GONNABE YOURCHEMISTRYTEACHER I SAID YOUHAVE GOT TO BEKIDDING ME, HEWAS THE FIRSTONE.

A BLACK MALETEACHINGCHEMISTRY IN ABUFFALO SCHOOL.I WAS SHOCKED."BUT IT WAS HISPRESENCE THATINSPIRED COLLINSTO KEEP MOVINGFORWARD IN HERCAREER."IT MADE ME WANTTO BECOMESOMETHINGBECAUSE I SAWTHAT PERSON."COLLINS BELIEVESMORE PEOPLE OFCOLOR WOULDENTER THE HEALTHFIELD IF SCHOOLSEXPOSED THEM TOIT."THAT'S WHY IM SOHAPPY TO BE ATSTATE ED SO WECAN REALLY PUSHDOWN THE SCIENCECURRICULUM NOTONLY AT HIGHSCHOOL BUT ATTHIRD GRADERSAND FOURTHGRADERS SO WECAN LET THEMKNOW WHAT THEHEALTH FIELD IS ALLABOUT AND THOSEPOSITIONS OUTTHERE."BUT SHE ALSOBELIEVES IT UP TOPARENTS TOFOSTER THEIRCHILDRENSCAREERS AT AYOUNG AGE."YOU HAVE TOINTRODUCE THEM,DON'T LEAVE THEMLEAVE IT JUST ONTHE EDUCATIONALSYSTEM.

YOU HELPTO DIRECT YOURCHILD..

GIVE THEMTHE INFORMATION."WHILE THE NUMBEROF BLACK HEALTHCARE WORKERS INTHE AREA HAVERISEN.

COLLINSSAYS THERE ISSTILL MORE WORKTO BE DONE."SO I'M HOPINGTHAT WE'RE GOINGTO CHANGE THATAND PUT SOMEMONEY INTO IT"IN BUFF JJ 7EWN.