Help Asniya improve health outcomes for American Indian communities.
Inspiring Tomorrow’s American Indian Health Providers Our Mission: "Building healthier communities by bringing medical knowledge and opportunity to underserved American Indian children and young adults."
Steering more Native American youth towards health science careers
Asniya implements a culturally relevant health science curriculum that excites and motivates young American Indians and help propel them toward careers in the health sciences.
Increasing cultural competency of current medical student interns
Medical student interns gain insight into different cultures, especially those having deficiencies in health care, and leave with an informed perspective on American Indian culture, education, and healthcare and strong ties to the community.
Developing future health professionals for long-term health improvements
Students will return to the reservation as health science professionals and improve the health outcomes for their community.
Guiding towards better health for American Indian communities
The curriculum includes units on basic medicine and the connection between lifestyle choices and chronic diseases, thus leading to better health outcomes for them and their communities.
Reaching American Indian youth at just the right time
American Indian youth are exposed to crucial information and options for health science careers at an age when intervention is most likely to inspire and break the cycle of extreme health disparities.
Mentoring to support students interested in health science careers
Adult mentors in the medical field guide and support each student with a serious interest in the health sciences to develop and implement a pathway to a career.
Health problems amongst American Indians are disproportionately higher than the rest of the general population. This disparity contributes to inhibiting economic, educational, and social development. The statistics are shocking. Many American Indians suffer and ultimately die from preventable diseases at alarmingly higher rates. Mental health is no different, with many American Indians disproportionately burdened by substance abuse and mental health issues.
American Indians are also the single most underrepresented minority in the field of medicine, comprising 1.7% of the total United States population but only 0.05% of our nation’s physicians. Other health care professions, such as nursing, dentistry, and pharmacology, demonstrate a comparable disparity. There are many factors that contribute to this imbalance, deeply rooted in decades of racial inequities and marginalization.
In the US, the rate of suicide has increased more than 25% over the past 10 years. It presently is the highest in American history. Furthermore, existing research paints a devastating picture of the mental health of American Indian youth, with suicide being the leading cause of death for American Indians aged 10-25. No other ethnic group in the United States experiences such rates of suicide among this age group.
"The path to one’s strength, pride, integrity and wisdom often starts with a vision as a child. Our children may be granted visions in many ways. Often it is through a teacher with a pure heart.”