West Virginia Medical Journal - 2021 - Quarter 1 | Page 8

INSIDE WVSMA

Editor ’ s Letter
West Virginian Physicians : Role Models of Optimal Patient Care
Linda S . Nield , MD
West Virginia ( WV ) ranks first among all states in the United States in the total number of students enrolled in an allopathic or osteopathic medical school per every 100,000 persons in the population . According to the 2019 Association of American Medical College ’ s State Physician Workforce Data Report , there are 89.2 medical students for every 100,000 citizens in first-ranking WV compared to last-ranking Idaho , which has a rate of 9.2 medical students for every 100,000 citizens . 1 Four states do not have a ranking because they have no medical schools within their borders — Alaska , Delaware , Montana , and Wyoming .
Because medical students are so plentiful in WV , it could be surmised that physicians in the state , whether working in academics or private practice , are probably more likely than physicians in any other state in the country to interact with medical students . Medical students are impressionable and will recognize disparate care delivered by their physician supervisors . 2 Therefore , WV physicians have a heightened responsibility to routinely practice evidencebased medicine and serve as exemplary role models in providing optimal care to all patients .
In this special issue of the West Virginia Medical Journal , readers will learn about educational efforts that promote the optimal care of patients from varied backgrounds and address the topics of diversity , inclusion , and healthcare disparities . Disparities along racial , ethnic , and socioeconomic lines continue to be extensively described in the medical literature , emphasizing that racism , and not race , underlies inequities . 3 Disparities associated with factors such as gender identity , sexual preference , military status , weight status , physical and intellectual abilities , a history of substance abuse , homelessness , and others are also being reported . 2 the results of an educational needs assessment of clinicians in WV who treat patients with obesity . Raising awareness about health disparities via a web-based collaboration between dental and medical students is the focus of the article by Price et al . 7 Readers , especially supervising physicians , are also encouraged to absorb the messages contained in the other features in the issue that further promote striving toward optimal patient care for all .
REFERENCES
1 . Association of American Medical Colleges . 2019 State Physician Workforce Data Report . Washington , DC : AAMC ; 2019 .
2 . Glaser J , Pfeffinger A , Quan J , Fernandez A . Medical students ’ perceptions of and responses to health care disparities during clinical clerkships . Acad Med . 2019 ; 94:1190-1196 .
3 . Bailey ZD , Krieger N , Agenor M , Graves J , Linos N , Bassett MT . Structural racism and health inequities in the USA : evidence and interventions . Lancet . 2017 ; 389:1453-1463 .
4 . Duarte E , Hashmi M . LGBT medical education assessment in West Virginia . WVMJ . 2021 ; 117 ; 38-41 .
5 . Hedrick JS , Rhodes L , Cottrell S , Ferrari ND III . Appalachian culture and history , an important lesson for incoming medical students . WVMJ . 2021 ; 117 ; 26-30 .
6 . Davisson L , Hernandez-Pachon MA , Haggerty TS . Rural obesity medical education for primary care in West Virginia : a needs assessment . WVMJ . 2021 ; 117 ; 18-23 .
7 . Price SS , Nield LS , Lilly CL , Vallejo MC . Raising awareness about health disparities with a medical and dental school web-based collaboration . WVMJ . 2021 ; 117 ; 32-37 .
In this issue , Duarte and Hashmi 4 present results of a survey of medical students that reveal the expressed need for improved education about the care of patients identifying as sexual and gender minorities . Hedrick and colleagues 5 describe a unique learning event about caring for patients from Appalachia , while Davisson and colleagues 6 highlight
6 • www . wvsma . org