As an outstanding athlete at Amherst College, he felt racial prejudice and experienced segregation when he played against other schools. Even though he was an amazing player, he was denied the position of captain of the football team his senior year because of his race.
He was inspired to choose a career in medicine when his sister died of influenza. Charles was accepted at McGill University in Canada in 1928, where he made many friends of both races, because racial discrimination was not a big problem there. In 1935, his father died of pneumonia and Charles decided to stay in the United States. He applied for his medical residence, but was rejected due to his race. Drew returned to Canada and was accepted at Howard University where he trained at Freedman Hospital. He became an assistant instructor in pathology for a year.
At Howard, “black” students could receive medical training as physicians. African American doctors were seen as unable to treat serious illnesses and usually ended up dispensing remedies. Charles helped change this impression. He became assistant, resident and instructor in surgery at Freedman’s Hospital. He thought himself as a “pathfinder” and wanted to open doors for other African Americans.
Charles pursued a degree of Doctor of Science at Columbia University and Presbyterian Hospital, one of the most prestigious medicals schools in the nation. Drew’s interest in blood research grew and he became a surgeon in training at Columbia University. However, “black” doctors were not allowed to treat patients. He was admitted as a student but couldn’t be seen working at a “white” hospital. He was only allowed to work behind the scenes in the lab. African American doctors, such as Charles, had to wait until the late 1940’s to be receive official staff privileges and this only happened in a few hospitals at first. Patients were not as racist towards Charles as the hospital administration was, only because he had “light skin.”