I am the Face of Medicine – Representation of Color: A Narrative Reflection
Dr. Erin Saner reflects on the importance of underrepresented minorities and representation in clinical care and education.
Racism and Discrimination
This category contains reflections on forms of discrimination, related to racism and sexism, students have faced on their healthcare journeys.
Physician Contributing Writer
Faculty Physician of Family & Community Medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine
Dr. Saner completed undergraduate, medical school, residency and fellowship training through Wake Forest University and School of Medicine. Her primary focus is Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Education with special interests in DEI, obesity medicine, and complementary and integrative medicine.
This Shouldn’t Be Happening
Medical student Rebekah Russell reflects on her experience with the healthcare system during a miscarriage.
First Times in Medicine as an Asian American
Medical student Alyssa Guo shares excerpts of her diary with reflections of her first times in medicine as an Asian American.
A Journey to Obstetrics & Gynecology Through Structural Racism in Maternal Outcomes
Medical student Sara Phillips writes a personal reflection, grounded in scholarly literature, that details her exploration of racism as a mechanism for perpetuating disparities in maternal health outcomes. The piece traces discriminatory policies and actions undertaken by physicians and leaders in the field of obstetrics and gynecology to portray a historical origin for contemporary health inequities. Interacting with these grim stories and statistics, she reflects on what it means for her to seek out a career in OB/GYN to confront this prejudicial history and create a more just path forward.
The Ring On My Hand
This creative piece explores the internal dialogue that a gay patient has with himself when his provider fails to use inclusive language and offers a question that probes disclosure.
You Good?
Read more to find out how three seemingly straightforward words, for medical student Charna Kinard, represented a spectrum of emotions, feelings and connotations in the setting of national news regarding policing and the Black Lives Matter movement and how this has shaped her path towards physicianship.
Hustle and Heart
Medical student Navjot Singh teaches us how to surmount racism with composure, grace, and courage.
What Is In a Name?
Medical student Nkiruka Aniagolu explores how understanding someone’s name or title can foster deeper trust with patients and those around us, as our names are ‘pieces of our personal mosaics’ that give glimpses to who we are.
One Day
Alicia Pugh writes a poem that reflects on how our backgrounds impact the way we view our patients.
Headlights
Medical student Joaquin Zetina details a poignant example, illustrating the often overlooked and nuanced barriers and adversities faced by immigrant students that can shape their perspectives of themselves as well as society.
More Than Poster Boys
Dekoiya Burton reflects on how he often feels like a prop in a “diversity” scheme when academic medicine doesn’t follow through with messages of diversity and inclusion beyond pamphlets and brochures.
His Perception
Medical student Alicia Pugh describes a conspicuous encounter with a patient that typified the lingering undercurrent of microaggresions against professionals of color. Read more to see how she responded to this experience.
Medical Student Contributing Writer
University of Illinois at Chicago
Alicia Pugh is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In her free time, she enjoys creative writing, gardening, and volunteering.