“ The changes that have occurred in 2020 will positively impact how I will practice medicine in the future . Systemic inequalities for minority groups in health , policy , and society have always been problems ; this year ignited the fire once more . COVID-19 has shed light on this , and pushback about the BLM movement has , as well . … This generation , much like the civil rights movement of the 1960s , is demanding change . As we are seeing now , these demands have turned into action that is dismantling the old systems of inequality . I expect this action to forward into all sectors of medicine – from academia to the bedside . I expect more research and curriculum shift for medical schools and hospitals to truly assess how diversity and inclusion is integral for the wellbeing of patients and diversity in medicine .” Amber Hannah , M . D . Class of ‘ 23
“ Racism in medicine is still very much alive and present . It ’ s right here in our medical books where we don ’ t see pathologies on people of color ; it ’ s right here in our glomerular filtration rate ( GFR ) calculations where we use race to estimate kidney function ; it ’ s right here when we don ’ t believe the Black patient who says they ’ re in pain because we subconsciously believe they have thicker skin . This is why the medical community needs to actively support BLM , and it shouldn ’ t stop at just wearing your white coat to a march , and it shouldn ’ t just be Black healthcare workers holding this mantle . … Let your support for BLM be seen in how you interact with your Black patients , in how you advocate for your Black patients , how you listen to their complaints and take their pain seriously , how you treat their babies the same , and how educated you are about how chicken pox looks on their skin .” Barrie Bedasee , M . D . Class of ’ 23
“ I believe that students are looking forward to having their faculty teachers serve as role models to learn to care for patients as our mission suggests . … We do an excellent job on our focus on elder care , but have opportunities for improvement in other areas . This may involve the incorporation of additional or different clinical sites of care , as well as targeting faculty that specifically have made a career in caring for this population of patients . … Over the next 5-10 years our medical students will come of age . We hopefully will teach enough regarding the history of medicine – a medical sociology course , if you will , that will address some of the historical wrongs of medicine . … Students want to graduate from medical school prepared for the real world . We owe it to them to give them a snapshot of the history and the basic foundational tools for growth .” Juliette Lomax-Homier , dean of the Fort Pierce Regional Campus
11
FALL ' 20