#ShareTheMedicalMic: Follow the Campaign Amplifying Black Women in Medicine

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A post shared by Renée Rodriguez M.D. (@drreneeparo) on Jul 20, 2020 at 5:03am PDT

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It’s officially here! I am so excited to be a part of this campaign . . . . . Come join the 40 black female physicians that are taking over the accounts of non black physicians to AMPLIFY our voices! . . . . . We want to hear your questions, conversation topics and most of all how we can make change in health care when it comes to inequities. #sharethemedicalmic #health #healthdisparities #racism #drjenniferlincoln #dallasgynecologist #jessicashepherdmd @jessicashepherdmd @dr.staci.t @drreneeparo @drlaurenpowell @drkameelahsays @tjonesivfmd

A post shared by Jennifer Lincoln, MD, IBCLC (@drjenniferlincoln) on Jul 22, 2020 at 11:02am PDT

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Seeing a Doctor that looks like you Matters⁣ ⁣ This may seem like a foreign concept.⁣ I get it.⁣ ⁣ Many non-Black people see doctors that look like them ALL of the time. So it may seem as though it's not a big deal or that you would get the same care no matter what.⁣ But that is simply not the case.⁣ ⁣ First of all, While black Americans comprise 13% of the U.S. population, they make up only 4% of the active physician workforce. Black female doctors represent only 2% of physicians. That is an alarmingly low number. ⁣ ⁣ This means the majority of black women out there have never seen or gone to a black Obstetrician and Gynecologist.⁣ ⁣ But just imagine for a second, if you are a non-black person, NEVER once in your life seeing being cared for by a doc that looks similar to you. Just picture it. It’s pretty strange.⁣ ⁣ Second of all, in the United States in particular. Black people have been oppressed for many years. And not only that, but we have been EXPERIMENTED on and taken advantage of by medical professionals. ⁣ This has destroyed trust in government, medicine, health laws and policies for many in the Black community.⁣ ⁣ If you have never heard of such things before and want to learn more please refer to the following: The Tuskegee syphilis experiment, Henrietta Lacks, and the story of James Marion Sims experimenting on enslaved black women without anesthesia which has been spoken about recently by my friend and colleague @drkameelasays.⁣ ⁣ After years of slavery, experimentation, and oppression it is not surprising that mistrust in the medical community continues to be an issue for many Black people today.⁣ And on top of that, to this day, it’s so hard to even find a Black doctor...COME ON!⁣ ⁣ 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝗪𝐇𝐘 𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒⁣ ⁣ Black women and men need to be represented in the medical field so that we can be the stronghold for our community and the bridge that helps to close a gap that only we truly can understand and appreciate.⁣ ⁣ This is something that means a lot to me so I couldn’t let IG word count cut me off (SEE More Below!) 😉 #sharethemedicalmic

A post shared by Your best friend OB-GYN (@dr.martaperez) on Jul 22, 2020 at 10:06am PDT

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. Hi AGAIN‼️ My name is Dr. Rachel Marie Bond. I am a Black, female cardiologist -- I'm not sure if it can get any more diverse than that. There are not many of us and there are many subtle reasons why that's the case. Throughout my journey, I've learned a lot of life lessons as to why this may be, but also how these same experiences have made my journey all the more rewarding. In 2017, I read an article in the New England Journal of Medicine from a female physician to her younger self; this inspired me to do the same. I was given the opportunity to do this via @medpage. I think of me ten years ago when I was a naive medical student going through my clerkships. I think of all of those young women who are in the same position and the advice I would have given to myself now knowing all that I know. I hope my advice will reach other young ladies who dream to be a cardiologist. I hope that my letter may impact them as much as the letter I read impacted me. I hope this will be one step to the solution to serve as a beacon for future women, especially women of color, in this amazing field. I shared exerts from this letter during a powerful webinar I did with @abcardio1 earlier in June. Please check out the video and go to my page @drrachelmbond to see the full article in my bio for your review❗️ #sharethemedicalmic #diversityinmedicine #yesimadoctor #womenincardiology #womeninmedicine #blackwomeninmedicine #blackwomenincardiology

A post shared by Hafiza Khan,MD |Cardiologist (@heart.beat.doctor) on Jul 22, 2020 at 1:48pm PDT

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Join me, as I chatted with Dr. Lauren Powell @drlaurenpowell , "The Culinary Doctor," about our experiences as Black Women Physicians in the medical world; the importance being culturally competent for our patients and our friendships/communities and how its lack in the treatment of our patients and relationships impacts those bonds and we discussed ways of being more active in the promotion of equity, diversity and inclusion with all communities. #drdawnpsychmd #drlaurenpowell with gratitude for #freudandfashion in allowing us to #sharethemedicalmic on her platform. 👩🏾‍⚕️🎤👩🏼‍⚕️🎤👩‍⚕️🎤. What are you "actively" doing or planning to do to support inclusion among black women and non-black women? #share your deeds and ideas below! 👇🏾

A post shared by Dr. Vania Manipod|Psychiatrist (@freudandfashion) on Jul 22, 2020 at 1:01pm PDT

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As a pediatrician, I know that I am biased. Kids are the best. Kids are resilient, fun and bring perspective to our lives. Save for a handful of my male patients that find it hard to tell the difference between red and green, kids are NOT colorblind. 👶🏾 As early as 6 months of age, a baby’s brain can notice race-based differences. Awareness of race may begin even earlier! 👧🏼 By age 2, toddlers can internalize racial bias and by 3 years of age they can express that bias. 👧🏿 A child’s environment teaches her that race is a social category of significance. Children then pick up on ways in which whiteness is normalized and privileged in U.S. society (Kate & Kofkin, 1997). 🏙 I was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. My academic upbringing at Columbus School for Girls was top-notch. I soaked up the opportunity to attend my preparatory school with fervor, and I let no chance to participate pass me by. I was the class president (twice), and I still look back on my time there fondly. However, the practice of #erasure was also alive and well at CSG. Eurocentric interpretations of the human experience are the norm of most schools in the US. Sadly, erasure followed me through all levels of education. When I stare at my Clinical Dermatology book I often have to imagine what a rash might look like on black skin 🧐 ⏰ It is never too early to talk about racism! Provide diverse experiences for children. Seek out anti-racist role models. Get comfortable with uncomfortable conversations.

A post shared by Leslie Kim, MD, MPH (@drlesliekim) on Jul 22, 2020 at 12:49pm PDT