The MedCaT Pipeline is an academic-community partnership between the Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity, Center for Native Health, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and Mountain Area Health Education Center that creates a structured pipeline to engage Appalachian Rural and American Indian (AI) high school students with multiple resources that support the pursuit of health and biomedical science careers.
The Center for Native Health is partnering with Western Carolina University College of Health and Human Sciences to offer a mentorship program for high school students enrolled in the Medical Careers and Technology Pathways program (MedCaT) as high school mentors.
The mentorship program is an extension of Western Carolina University’s efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within healthcare fields and promote higher education for students interested in health related fields of study.
Health Career Mentors will come from Western Carolina University’s College of Health and Human Sciences and will be paired with MedCaT Mentors who attend one of the partner High Schools including Swain, Smoky Mtn High School, Robbinsville, Murphy, Andrews and Cherokee Central. . While in the program MedCaT Mentors will have the opportunity to participate in leadership training, skill building activities and other events.
The role of the Health Career Mentor is to advise MedCaT Mentors throughout the school year and to help better prepare them for college. This program consists of weekly check-ins, monthly face-to-face meetings, and several other events throughout the school year. The program will begin in the fall and go through May of the next year.
Center for Native Health
25 Water Tower Lane
Whittier, NC 28789
