Bloomberg donates $600M to four historically Black medical schools

Driving the news: "The gifts are among the largest private donations to any historically Black college or university," according to Bloomberg Philanthropies.

• Howard University College of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, and Morehouse School of Medicine will each receive a $175 million donation.
• Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science will receive $75 million.
• The organization also announced an additional $5 million in seed funding to help create the Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine in New Orleans.

What they're saying: "We have much more to do to build a country where every person, regardless of race, has equal access to quality health care," Bloomberg said in a statement, noting that "addressing health disparities and underrepresentation in the medical field are critical challenges."

• "This gift will empower new generations of Black doctors to create a healthier and more equitable future for our country," he added.

• Meharry Medical College President and CEO James E.K. Hildreth hailed the donation as a "momentous day" and a "testament to Meharry's legacy."

Zoom out: Bloomberg donated $100 million to the same four medical schools in 2020.

• Tuesday's announcement also builds on Bloomberg's $1 billion pledge last month to Johns Hopkins' medical school, which will allow students to attend tuition-free.

Go deeper: The health care workforce crisis is already here