TSMD - July Newsletter
Each time I have sat down to compose a newsletter in 2020, I think of the things I shared in the previous month. So many times this year, it has felt as if the world in which those previous letters were written is now in many ways unrecognizable.
Between the spread of the coronavirus and calls for justice in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, 2020 has been a time of cataclysmic change. I have been reading and listening and learning about the many ways in which change is vital for a more equitable America.
Last week, All Things Considered ran a segment called What It Is Like To Be A Young Black Doctor. The segment, in part, says
Institutions everywhere are confronting the impacts of racism and inequity that persist in their system. Medicine is no different. Lack of access isn't just a problem for Black patients, who continue to face economic and social barriers to care. The gaps are evident in the profession itself. Black physicians remain in a disproportionately small minority, and many say that's because medical training itself alienates them, perpetuating those gaps.
This month and beyond, I am committed to listening to my colleagues and thinking about the systemic change necessary in medicine.
I hope that, though this time is full of uncertainty, you make space for reflection, discerning what parts of your own life would benefit from deep and meaningful change.
Spotlight on: White Coats for Black Lives
Four years ago, the American Journal of Public Health published a piece entitled Reclaiming the White Coat for Black Lives.
“White Coats for Black Lives (WC4BL) was born in response to apathy. While people were mourning the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner and were enraged by the nonindictments of the officers who killed them, the medical institution—which has historically had racism built into its foundation—largely remained silent.”
I have been following with gratitude the work of this organization—one created by medical students.
It is inspiring to see these young students and physicians leading calls for the elimination of racial discrimination in healthcare settings, as well as ensuring that future physicians are advocates for racial justice.
Around the Web
White Coats for Black Lives: Actions Speak Louder
“Many of our institutions have issued statements in the past several weeks publicly supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, while failing to take action to take concrete action. White Coats for Black Lives is taking this opportunity to revitalize our prior Actions Speak Louder campaign, which seeks to hold our medical schools and hospitals accountable to their stated commitments around racial justice.”
Follow the link above to read more about the ways White Coats for Black Lives is inviting local chapters to participate in holding medical schools and hospitals accountable.
NYC ER doctor hopes the rest of the U.S. learned lessons from the city as states see virus cases spike
“Spencer said he is observing positive signs in New York City’s fight against Covid-19. ‘It’s actually not so common that we’re seeing Covid patients now in the emergency department,’ he said. ‘We’re coming back to some type of normal in our emergency department.’
But Spencer said he is worried by the increases in other parts of the U.S., where the landscape in some places is different from New York City’s. The persistent existence of community transmission, particularly now in the warmer months, puts the U.S. in a precarious position entering the fall, he said.”
Account for gender/sex to make personal protective equipment safer for women
“COVID-19 is not a gender- or sex-neutral killer. Men are more likely than women to need intensive care for the disease or die of it. Among health care workers, however, the tables are turned: Women accounted for 73% of the more than 9,000 U.S. health care workers who had been infected with the novel coronavirus by early April.
This gender/sex difference has been seen in other countries, and it isn’t because more women than men are on the frontlines of COVID-19 care. The design of personal protective equipment might be to blame.”
Where to Find Me
In June, I was pleased to deliver a virtual lecture for University of South Florida and LeHigh Valley Hospital’s medical students’ Leadership program.
As the coronavirus outbreak continues to unfold and my in-person lectures and events are on pause, when I’m not in the ED, you can find me on Twitter.
Connect with me there or on Facebook or LinkedIN and let me know how you’re feeling, what’s on your mind, and what your hopes are for the second half of 2020.
Be well.
Have a healthy July full of listening and learning.
Wear your mask. Wash your hands.
Know you are loved.
Tracy
