Borrero Maria, Kiel Lauren, Abuali Inas, Ivy Zalaya K, Florez Narjust
Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware Street SE, Mayo Mail Code 480, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States of America.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States of America.
Hum Resour Health. 2024 Jul 16;22(1):52. doi: 10.1186/s12960-024-00931-y.
Though we have made ample advances in the field of medicine in recent years, our idea of professionalism continues to be based on the standard of how white men dressed in the nineteenth century. Such a standard of professionalism not only perpetuates gender bias, but also aims to remove the culture, traditions, and behaviors of minority groups with the goal of molding these individuals to resemble the majority, preventing 'Afro' heritage from entering medicine. By contextualizing our own experiences in the medical setting as physicians of color in the context of a variety of supporting literature, we provide an overview of professionalism, its role in medicine, the double standard faced by women, and how it continues to be weaponized against physicians of racial, ethnic, and religious minorities. We advocate for minority physicians to embrace their authenticity and for institutions to develop policies that openly, firmly, and enthusiastically welcome physicians of all ethnicities, religions, and genders. Positionality Statement: In the editorial you are about to read, we, the authors, collectively bring a rich tapestry of backgrounds and experiences to our discussion on healthcare disparities. Our team consists of two Hispanic/Latina oncologists, one Middle Eastern oncologist, one Black/Caribbean-American hematologist, and one White pre-medical student with Middle Eastern heritage. Our diverse backgrounds inform our perspectives and enhance our understanding of the complex and multifaceted nature of healthcare. We are united by a shared commitment to justice, equity, and the belief that every patient deserves high-quality care, regardless of their background. This editorial is informed by our professional expertise, personal experiences, and the diverse communities we serve, aiming to highlight the critical need for inclusivity and representation in healthcare. By acknowledging our positionality, we hope to provide a comprehensive and empathetic analysis that not only identifies the challenges but also offers actionable solutions to improve healthcare outcomes for all. We recognize the power of diversity in fostering innovation and driving positive change, and we are dedicated to using our voices and positions to advocate for a more equitable healthcare system.
尽管近年来我们在医学领域取得了长足的进步，但我们对专业精神的认知仍然基于19世纪白人男性的着装标准。这样的专业精神标准不仅延续了性别偏见，还旨在消除少数群体的文化、传统和行为，目的是将这些人塑造成与多数群体相似的样子，阻止“非洲裔”传统进入医学领域。通过将我们作为有色人种医生在医疗环境中的自身经历与各种支持性文献相结合，我们概述了专业精神、其在医学中的作用、女性所面临的双重标准，以及它如何继续被用作对付种族、族裔和宗教少数群体医生的武器。我们倡导少数群体医生展现真实的自我，也倡导各机构制定政策，公开、坚定且热情地欢迎所有种族、宗教和性别的医生。立场声明：在您即将阅读的这篇社论中，我们这些作者在讨论医疗保健差异时共同带来了丰富多样的背景和经历。我们的团队由两位西班牙裔/拉丁裔肿瘤学家、一位中东肿瘤学家、一位黑人/加勒比裔美国血液学家，以及一位有中东血统的白人医学预科生组成。我们多元的背景塑造了我们的观点，并加深了我们对医疗保健复杂性和多面性的理解。我们因对正义、公平的共同承诺以及相信每个患者都应得到高质量护理（无论其背景如何）而团结在一起。这篇社论是基于我们的专业知识、个人经历以及我们所服务的多元社区撰写的，旨在强调医疗保健中包容性和代表性的迫切需求。通过承认我们所处的位置，我们希望提供全面且富有同理心的分析，不仅能识别挑战，还能提供可行的解决方案，以改善所有人的医疗保健结果。我们认识到多样性在促进创新和推动积极变革方面的力量，我们致力于利用我们的声音和地位来倡导建立一个更公平的医疗保健系统。
