NBA Naismith Hall of Famer and Olympic Gold Medalist Spencer Haywood Joins College of Medicine Efforts

NBA Naismith Hall of Famer, Olympic Gold Medalist, and longtime Las Vegas resident Spencer Haywood has been appointed to the Dean’s Advisory Council for Roseman University College of Medicine.

Haywood is passionate about fairness and access to healthcare among Las Vegas’ underserved. In his role on the Dean’s Advisory Council, Haywood offers the College of Medicine his input and support for the development of programs to improve the lives of the Las Vegas community’s most vulnerable citizens.

Haywood is also committed helping the College create and promote pipeline programs to encourage minority youth to pursue careers in medicine as they continue to be severely represented. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), in 2018 on 5 percent of active physicians in the U.S. were Black. Only 5.8% were Hispanic. Like the leadership of Roseman’s College of Medicine, Haywood strongly believes that to improve the health and resiliency of minority communities, we must train doctors from these communities who will return to serve. This will help overcome the long-standing distrust that many minorities have of physicians and the healthcare system, which has resulted in serious health inequities.

In August, with the NBA’s Summer League held in Las Vegas, Haywood participated in a media tour to announce his support for the College of Medicine, to discuss health inequities, and to promote COVID vaccination. Haywood spoke with ABC News and the Las Vegas Review-Journal among other media outlets.

Like the leadership of Roseman’s College of Medicine, Haywood strongly believes that to improve the health and resiliency of minority communities, we must train doctors from these communities who will return to serve. This will overcome the long-standing distrust that many minorities have of physicians and the healthcare system, which has resulted in health inequities.