Providing access to blacks and Hispanics in dietetics education

To increase the number of blacks and Hispanics in dietetics and three other health professions, the Health Sciences Recruitment and Retention Program was developed and implemented in 1985 by the College of Health at Florida International University in Miami. The coordinated undergraduate program assisted in a federal grant to accomplish the objectives of recruiting and retaining minority students. High school and community college students were recruited using a slide/tape presentation featuring black and Hispanic professionals. In addition, the college offered a summer course entitled "Perspectives of the Health Sciences Professions" to students entering their senior year in high school. In this course, students learned how dietitians, medical laboratory scientists, and physical and occupational therapists treat various disease states. Field trips and site visits provided additional exposure to the professions. A summer orientation and tutorial program was established to retain minority students enrolled in the coordinated undergraduate program. We recommend that this program be considered as a model for dietetics educators to use in developing other programs to increase the number of minorities in the profession.