Young Doctors DC (YDDC) is a multi-generational mentoring, education, and pipeline to health careers program for high school boys in Southeast Washington, DC. Through intensive summer programs and Saturday academies at Howard University, YDDC participants are trained in preventive medicine, mental health, and health issues in underserved communities.Selected youth join YDDC during their freshmen year of high school and remain in the program until graduation.
After one year of training in the summer program and Saturday academies, the “young doctors” begin the service learning component of the program, which includes conducting free health clinics in their community under the supervision of YDDC staff doctors.With the support of Howard University’s Department of Psychology and College of Medicine, the Young Doctors are equipped to address Washington, DC’s health disparities head-on.