Since the killing of George Floyd, the world has woken up to the anti-Black racism that has been plaguing our world. Many industries that had previously let go of their diversity, equity, and inclusion budgets following Covid-19 were jolted into a startling realization; more must be done to create anti-racist systems and structures. Many would argue that there’s no industry where that’s truer than in healthcare. There is a growing body of research that suggests a number of racial disparities in healthcare. The maternal mortality rate for Black mothers is two and half times that of their white counterparts. Research demonstrates that physicians are less likely to prescribe pain medication to Black patients compared to their non-Black counterparts. There is also a perception that Black people have “thicker skin” than their white counterparts, reports show. Additional barriers to equitable treatment include longer wait times and racial discrimination, research indicates. Increased awareness about these disparities can be an effective way to reduce and combat them. Despite a wealth of evidence that demonstrates the existence of these systemic inequities, there may be resistance to change within healthcare systems and structures, including academia. A logical place to start having discussions about racial disparities in healthcare is in the medical schools where physicians are being trained. But the question still remains whether medical schools are actually open to having honest and candid conversations about how the field has contributed to horrific acts of violence and harm against marginalized communities. Those that speak out against these inequities may experience silencing themselves. According to Dr. Aysha Khoury, that was her experience. Dr. Khoury sat down with Forbes to share her experiences with what she felt was another example of racism in medicine.
“Originally from Atlanta, I was recruited to be a member of the founding faculty at Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine (KPSOM),” Dr. Khoury shared. I am the only Black American physician in my role as a first-year small group facilitator. This position allows the most face-to-face time with students.” Dr. Khoury shared that in June of 2020 she was recognized for her accomplishments and received an email stating she was selected to receive a faculty rank increase. But just a few months later, before she was officially promoted, things took a turn for the worse. “In August 2020, in the aftermath of [the] shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin and Anthony McClain’s shooting, the student body was searching for steps it could take in response to this death and to racial inequality. During the week of August 24th 2020…small group facilitators were asked to incorporate these topics in the August 28, 2020 class discussion. The conversation was rich, authentic, emotional and most importantly, the students were engaged…that evening, within nine hours of the class, I received a call from the Senior Associate Dean for Academic and Community Affairs. Without any warning or inquiry, I was suspended, pending an investigation because of ‘a complaint about certain classroom activities that took place.’ At that time, the investigative process was not outlined nor was it clear if I would receive pay. In an attempt to better understand what policy I [had] violated, I spoke with the Senior Associate Dean for Academic and Community Affairs and was told ‘we don’t want to see you here.’ Dr. Khoury shared her experiences in a series of tweets that ended up gaining a lot of attention online. Dr. Khoury goes on the share, “for six weeks, I was suspended from teaching and clinical responsibilities. The KPSOM investigation and suspension continued for 18 weeks. Despite my attempts to learn what I was accused of doing, [no one] ever explained why I was being investigated beyond sharing that there was a complaint related to the August 28th class.”
A representative for KPSOM was contacted for a statement and shared “Dr. Khoury was not placed on leave for bringing content related to anti-racism to the classroom or for sharing her experiences as a Black woman in medicine. Our faculty have been and will continue to be encouraged to relate these issues to classroom topics, and this has happened repeatedly since classes started in July 2020…our school remains committed to being a leader in anti-racism and being on the forefront of issues related to equity, inclusion, and diversity among medical schools.” Dr. Khoury shared that she was notified recently that her faculty appointment would not be renewed. “At one point, KPSOM was open [to] my return if I first agree to a facilitated discussion to share what opportunities there are for the school to improve. I maintain that I have been unjustly suspended and fired and that asking me to participate in this conversation prior to a renewed appointment, is antithetical to anti-racism and the other values of the school.”
Dr.Khoury is not alone in her experiences. Last month, medical director Dr. Ben Danielson made headlines after resigning from his role at Seattle Children’s hospital due to institutional racism. From the outside looking in, it seems many institutions say they encourage discussions about racism but don’t want to be called out for perpetuating these same inequities they are attempting to eradicate. When reflecting on how healthcare education as a whole can become more inclusive, Dr. Khoury shared, “Black physicians only make up 5-6 % of active physicians. To create an environment [that is] psychologically safe for faculty, institutions have to create avenues for faculty to be heard [and] safe from retaliation. There should be transparent promotion processes, mentorship, support [and a] rigorous evaluation of all school policies to remove bias. If an institution commits itself to diversity and inclusion, there also needs to be an individual commitment to anti-racism, especially by those in leadership. Black faculty should not be pigeonholed into DEI work and should be appropriately compensated for their work.”
To read more about Dr. Khoury’s experiences, visit her Twitter page.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
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February 02, 2021 at 10:59AM
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One Doctor Shares Her Story Of Racism In Medicine - Forbes
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