(bright upbeat music) - What does a day in the life of a physician really look like?

Medical Immersion Day gives students hands-on exposure to medicine and mentorship from physicians.

Dr.

Samuel Cheshier and Chimdi Ihediwa are here now to share more about the impact of this program.

Thank you so much for being here.

- Thank you for having us.

- So tell me about Medical Immersion Day.

What can people expect when they go to it?

- So Medicine Immersion Day was actually one of the first events I had done with Black Physicians of Utah, and it kinda got me the exposure that I really needed to actually see doctors that look like me and give me a sense of belonging that I do really belong in medicine.

So Medicine Immersion Day is a day full of hands-on activities, which includes spending time in the OR, doing some OBGYN stuff, and honestly, just getting hands-on experience in medicine.

- And what does it mean to you to be able to provide this for future doctors or students who are interested in the field?

- Well, it means a lot to me, because when I grew up, there was nobody that looked like me that were doctors, and I think representation is very important in medicine.

It's well-established that outcomes are better for patients when their doctors look like them.

For instance, it's very well-established that female patients prefer female doctors, and they have better outcomes with them, so this is very important to the people of the community.

As the nation gets more diverse, so does the physician workforce, and we're part of bridging that gap.

- When you stepped into that space, was it something where you were like, "This is where I belong."

Did it really solidify that for you?

- It definitely did for sure, because I was a sophomore in college at that time, and I always like had the idea, "Oh, medicine could be a possibility," but me actually being there and meeting Dr.

Cheshier and other black doctors made it solidify that I could actually accomplish this.

I'm actually in the process of applying to medical school right now as we speak, so it's so exciting.

- I'm excited for you.

Fingers crossed.

Well, thank you so much for stopping by and sharing this information.

I'm sure there's people watching who know kids, students who are interested in as well, and we've got some information for you on the screen about the fifth annual Medicine Immersion Day, happening October 10th from 8:30 AM until 1:30 PM at Alta View Hospital.

Just head to the website that's on your screen for more details.

I'm Liz Adeola.

Thank you so much for watching "Contact."

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