responsibility of physicians to care for their patients, and inclusive, culturally sensitive education is necessary in order for them to effectively do so. By understanding who is at greater risk (what are the health disparities) and why, physicians can have a better understanding of how to treat their patients. For instance, according to Dr. Dubé, gays and lesbians are at an increased risk for certain cancers due to the fact that patients choose not to see a physician for screenings due to stigma; therefore, their cancers are more advanced when initially diagnosed. LGBTQI+ youth are at greater risk of drug use, alcohol abuse and suicide due to bullying and other forms of discrimination. “We carry this burden of distrust,” Dr. Dubé acknowledges of the barrier that sometimes exists within the patient-physician relationship. “It is our responsibility to ask our patients.” Physicians can bridge that gap by opening up a dialogue to talk about what pronouns to use and how they can contribute to making a safe space for patients to seek treatment. Above all else, he concludes, “continue learning. It is okay to stumble, or fumble… if you are humble and apologize, it will go a long way with your patients.”
While CPC lectures are one area where topics of diversity and inclusion have been raised, EDAC is looking for a more intentional, consistent educational curriculum in order to address cultural and religious insensitivity within the community, and, ultimately, to prepare students to become better physicians. “Physicians are doing harm,” Karissa says pointedly. “We are hurting one another when we forget the human component.”
Leaving A Sustainable Legacy
As Jenna Wozer’s leadership prepares to head off-campus for third-year, first-year student, Karissa Rajagopal, steps into the role of Chair for EDAC. “I just threw my hat in the ring,” she says of her new position. “I was really interested in continuing this momentum and excitement we have going. It feels like all the various moving parts are clicking into place.” When she first started at UNE COM, Karissa was interested in joining particular student clubs and organizations where she wanted to see herself grow. In the Health Equality Alliance (HEAl), she learned about health challenges for the LGBTI+ community, and how to become the kind of provider that patients would feel safe with whatever their background. In White Coats for Black Lives (WC4BL), she had heard statistics of different health disparities facing communities of color, and she wanted to better understand how to be a physician advocate.
communities of color and wanted to better understand how to be a physician advocate.
Karissa Rajagopal, COM '22
As EDAC Chair she states, “I want to infiltrate every aspect of COM,” she says with honest zeal. Karissa’s vision for EDAC is to increase their membership by inviting more of the COM community to participate, including professional staff. “My first year on EDAC, we spoke with Maryann Lecompte in Professional Development, and we are excited to expand opportunities with faculty and staff within COM. We also met with the President and Provost [of UNE], and had some really great dialogue around diverse perspectives.” From that initial meeting, Provost Hamilton nominated Karissa to be part of the UNE Community, Equity and Diversity Advisory Committee for the UNE Strategic Plan, Priority IV.2 Dr. Arafat also sits on the committee, which will help drive the initiatives in EDAC’s initial proposal. According to Dr. Arafat, “diversity and inclusivity represent the richness of human differences. It is one of the foundational priorities in the University of New England’s Strategic Plan, and is incorporated into the behaviors that sustain our core values. Inclusion is the active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with diversity. At UNE, we promote and cultivate an inclusive environment that embraces and celebrates the diversity of our people.”
More recently, Karissa and Jenna met with Dean Jane Carreiro, DO ‘88 to ensure that EDAC can negotiate the changing of the guard that happens every year.