The Representation of African Americans in Medicine

Sickle cell anemia occurs in 1 out of every 365 black or African American births. There are about 49 adult sickle cell disease centers in the United States, with 41,000 hematologists (doctors who specialize blood and lymphatic disorders) out of the 1.1 million physicians nationally. I learned this statistic after my father's death. Knowing that he suffered from sickle cell anemia and him being treated for it ultimately leading to his death, I felt compelled to make this post. In the United States, African Americans have historically been underrepresented in the field of medicine. This lack of representation has had significant consequences for the health outcomes of Black communities, as it has led to a lack of understanding of the unique health concerns and experiences of African Americans. In this blog post, I want to explore the history of African American representation in medicine, the consequences of this lack of representation, and potential solutions to address this issue.

note : I've taken some time off of posting as I've gone through the college admissions process. It was exhausting, to say the least. For the sake of transparency, I have a new post coming out very soon where I detail my entire college process as well as my thoughts going through it. I've spent my time off regrouping, rejuvenating, and preparing myself for the various excitements associated with attending college. Ultimately I am the happiest I can be and for now..let us continue raising awareness for those who deserve it the most.

Historical Underrepresentation African Americans have a long history of being excluded from the field of medicine. During the era of slavery, Black people were often used as medical subjects for experimentation without their consent or knowledge. This legacy has created a deep distrust of the medical establishment in many Black communities. After slavery ended, African Americans were still largely excluded from medical education and practice. Medical schools and hospitals were segregated, and Black medical professionals faced significant barriers to entry into the field. Even after integration, Black medical professionals were often relegated to lower-paying and less prestigious positions than their white counterparts. Here are some examples throughout history of this occurring.

1. Rebecca Lee Crumpler: Crumpler was the first African American woman to earn a medical degree in the United States, graduating from the New England Female Medical College in 1864. Despite her achievements, she struggled to find work due to the rampant racism and sexism of the time.

2. Dr. William Augustus Hinton: Hinton was a physician and researcher who developed the Hinton test, a widely-used diagnostic test for syphilis. Despite his contributions, he was unable to secure a faculty position at Harvard Medical School due to racial discrimination.

3. Dr. Charles Drew: Drew was a physician and researcher who developed methods for blood storage and transfusions, and played a key role in establishing the American Red Cross blood bank. Despite his contributions, he faced racial discrimination in his career, including being denied admission to medical schools and being forced to use segregated blood banks.

4. Dr. Daniel Hale Williams: Williams was a physician who performed one of the first successful open-heart surgeries in 1893. Despite this groundbreaking achievement, he was unable to gain widespread recognition for his work due to racial discrimination.

5. Dr. Mabel Keaton Staupers: Staupers was a nurse and healthcare administrator who played a key role in the desegregation of the US Army Nurse Corps during World War II. Despite her contributions, she faced racial discrimination throughout her career, including being denied membership in nursing organizations.

Consequences of Underrepresentation The lack of representation of African Americans in medicine has had significant consequences for the health outcomes of Black communities. One major issue is the lack of understanding of the unique health concerns and experiences of African Americans. For example, Black people are more likely to suffer from certain diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, and sickle cell anemia. However, these conditions are often underdiagnosed and undertreated in Black patients. Additionally, the lack of representation in medicine has contributed to the mistrust of medical professionals in Black communities. This mistrust can lead to delays in seeking medical care, as well as a reluctance to follow medical advice. This can result in worse health outcomes for Black patients. These outcomes include:

1. Health Disparities: One of the most significant consequences of underrepresentation in medicine is health disparities. African Americans are disproportionately affected by several diseases and health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension, among others. Due to a lack of African American healthcare professionals, many African Americans may not receive the proper care they need to manage these conditions effectively, leading to poorer health outcomes and increased mortality rates.

2. Mistrust in the Healthcare System: Underrepresentation in medicine can also lead to mistrust in the healthcare system among African Americans. This mistrust is often due to a lack of understanding of medical procedures and a history of racism and discrimination within the healthcare system. This mistrust can lead to a reluctance to seek medical care and follow recommended treatment plans, leading to poorer health outcomes.

3. Limited Access to Healthcare: Underrepresentation in medicine can also result in limited access to healthcare for African Americans. This is especially true for those living in rural or underserved areas, where access to healthcare is already limited. Without African American healthcare professionals who understand the unique challenges faced by the African American community, it can be challenging to provide quality healthcare to this population.

4. Decreased Diversity in Medicine: Underrepresentation in medicine can lead to a lack of diversity in the medical field. This can result in a lack of understanding of the unique healthcare needs of different communities, including the African American community. Without diversity in medicine, it can be challenging to develop effective and culturally sensitive healthcare policies and practices that address the needs of all communities.

5. Missed Opportunities for Leadership and Advancement: Underrepresentation in medicine can also result in missed opportunities for African Americans to advance in their medical careers. This can limit the number of African American leaders and role models in the medical field, making it more difficult for future generations of African Americans to pursue careers in medicine.

Solutions There are several potential solutions to address the underrepresentation of African Americans in medicine. One approach is to increase the number of Black students in medical schools. This can be achieved through targeted outreach and recruitment efforts, as well as financial support for Black students. Medical schools can also work to create a more welcoming and supportive environment for Black students and faculty. Another solution is to increase the representation of African Americans in medical research. This can be achieved by including more Black patients in clinical trials and by increasing the number of Black researchers involved in medical research. Finally, it is essential to address the legacy of mistrust that exists in many Black communities. This can be done by working to build relationships between medical professionals and Black communities, as well as by acknowledging and addressing the historical mistreatment of Black people in the medical field. Here are those reasons in greater detail:

1. Increase Diversity in Medical School Admissions: Medical schools can increase the diversity of their student body by recruiting more African American applicants. This can be done through targeted outreach programs to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions. Additionally, medical schools can adopt race-conscious admissions policies to ensure that underrepresented minority students are given equal consideration in the admissions process.

2. Provide Mentorship and Support: African American medical students and professionals may benefit from mentorship and support programs that provide guidance, advice, and resources. These programs can help to mitigate the effects of isolation and provide a supportive network for African Americans in medicine.

3. Address Racial Bias in Medical Education: Medical education should address racial biases that may be present in the curriculum and training programs. This can include incorporating training on cultural competency, unconscious bias, and social determinants of health. Additionally, medical schools should work to recruit a more diverse faculty, which can provide students with diverse perspectives and experiences.

4. Increase Funding for Research on Health Disparities: Funding for research on health disparities affecting African Americans should be increased to better understand the underlying causes and develop targeted interventions. This can include increasing funding for research on diseases that disproportionately affect African Americans and funding research on the social determinants of health.

5. Address Systemic Racism in Healthcare: Systemic racism in healthcare, such as unequal access to quality care and racial bias in medical decision-making, must be addressed. This can be done through policy changes, such as expanding access to healthcare, increasing diversity in the healthcare workforce, and implementing anti-racism training for healthcare providers.

6. Collaborate with Community-Based Organizations: Collaboration with community-based organizations can help to address the social determinants of health that contribute to health disparities. These organizations can provide valuable insights into the unique challenges faced by African American communities and help to develop culturally appropriate interventions.

By implementing these and other solutions, we can begin to address the issue of underrepresentation of African Americans in medicine and work towards a more equitable and inclusive healthcare system.

Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment

The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment was a notorious medical study conducted in the United States between 1932 and 1972. The experiment was conducted by the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) in partnership with the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, with the aim of studying the natural progression of untreated syphilis in African American men. The study began in 1932, when 600 African American men were recruited from the surrounding rural communities in Macon County, Alabama. 399 of the men had syphilis, while the other 201 served as a control group. The men were told that they were receiving free medical care for "bad blood," a term used locally to refer to a range of illnesses including syphilis, anemia, and fatigue. However, the men were not told that they had syphilis, nor were they informed of the true purpose of the study. Instead, they were simply monitored over the course of the study, with regular physical examinations and blood tests conducted to track the progression of the disease. Despite the fact that effective treatment for syphilis became widely available in the 1940s, the USPHS did not offer the men any treatment for their syphilis. In fact, they actively prevented the men from receiving treatment, even after penicillin became available as a treatment in the 1950s. As a result, many of the men suffered serious health complications from their untreated syphilis, including blindness, deafness, and mental illness. Many of the men also passed the disease on to their wives and children, leading to a new generation of syphilis cases. The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment was finally brought to an end in 1972, following a series of exposes in the media. The experiment was widely condemned as a gross violation of ethical standards, and it led to a number of reforms in medical research practices in the United States. The legacy of the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment continues to resonate today, as it is often cited as an example of the systemic racism that has plagued American society for centuries. The experiment is also a reminder of the importance of ethical standards in medical research, and the need for transparency and informed consent when conducting studies involving human subjects. The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment represents a dark chapter in the history of American medicine, and a stark reminder of the ways in which systemic racism has impacted the health and wellbeing of African Americans.

Henrietta Lacks

Henrietta Lacks was an African American woman whose cervical cancer cells were taken without her knowledge or consent in 1951. These cells, known as HeLa cells, became the first human cells to grow and multiply continuously in a laboratory setting, and were critical to many medical breakthroughs, including the development of the polio vaccine and in vitro fertilization. Henrietta Lacks was born on August 1, 1920, in Roanoke, Virginia. She grew up in a poor family in Clover, Virginia, and married her first cousin, David "Day" Lacks, with whom she had five children. In 1951, Henrietta was diagnosed with cervical cancer and was treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. During her treatment, a sample of her cancer cells was taken without her knowledge or consent. Scientists at Johns Hopkins discovered that Henrietta's cells were unique in their ability to continuously grow and divide in a laboratory setting, and they began to use them for research purposes. HeLa cells were used to develop the polio vaccine, study cancer and other diseases, and test drugs and cosmetics. However, Henrietta's family did not know that her cells were being used in research for many years. It was not until the 1970s that the Lacks family learned about the use of Henrietta's cells in medical research, and they were shocked and dismayed. They were not consulted about the use of her cells, nor did they receive any compensation for their use. In addition, they were concerned that Henrietta's cells were being used in ways that were unethical and disrespectful to her memory. The story of Henrietta Lacks has brought attention to the issue of informed consent in medical research and the use of human tissues for research purposes. The case has also highlighted the history of exploitation and mistreatment of African Americans in medical research, including the infamous Tuskegee syphilis experiment, which left hundreds of black men untreated for syphilis in order to study the progression of the disease. In recent years, there have been efforts to honor Henrietta Lacks and her family and to address the issue of informed consent in medical research. In 2013, the National Institutes of Health reached an agreement with the Lacks family to give them more control over access to Henrietta's genetic information. The Henrietta Lacks Foundation was also established to promote education and research on issues related to the use of human tissues in medical research. Henrietta Lacks' story is a powerful reminder of the importance of informed consent and respect for human dignity in medical research. Her legacy lives on through the ongoing use of her cells in research and the efforts to honor her memory and address the injustices that were done to her and her family.

Their Stories

Notable Quotes

"There is no justification for the underrepresentation of any racial or ethnic group in medicine." - Dr. David Satcher, former Surgeon General of the United States

"When we don't have enough diversity in the healthcare workforce, there are going to be problems with how people receive care." - Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Trust for America's Health

"There is no such thing as race-based medicine. There's no black medicine or white medicine or Latino medicine or Asian medicine - there's just medicine that works and medicine that doesn't." - Dr. Augustus A. White III, renowned orthopedic surgeon and advocate for diversity in medicine

"It is not a matter of if, but when, healthcare disparities will affect each and every one of us." - Dr. Camara P. Jones, former president of the American Public Health Association and advocate for health equity

"The consequences of racial and ethnic disparities in health care are real and pervasive." - Dr. Garth Graham, Vice President of Community Health and Chief Community Health Officer at CVS Health

Conclusion The underrepresentation of African Americans in medicine has had significant consequences for the health outcomes of Black communities. However, there are potential solutions to address this issue. By increasing the representation of African Americans in medical education, research, and practice, we can work towards a more equitable and just healthcare system for all. People are people. Regardless of race, ethnicity, or any other determining factor. Healthcare is for all. People no longer have to suffer. We must come together as a community filled with renowned researches, expert physicians, and ambitious scientists to add something special to this world and create change once and for all. I am a proud African American, but I am even prouder to serve as a future physician, fighting for ALL.