Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Racism in physicians: It’s not a black or white issue

Michael Kirsch, MD
Physician
June 25, 2015
411 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

shutterstock_228969187

Racism and prejudice are endemic in America. Many of us reflexively answer, No, if we are asked if we are prejudiced. I don’t. I say yes.

While I do my best to give everyone a fair shake, I grew up in a white suburban family in the latter decades of the last century. My friends, my parent’s friends and all those we associated with were all the same color. In elementary school, there was but a single black girl in our classroom.

Is it possible for a white kid to grow up surrounded by all of the overt and covert prejudicial and stereotypical influences and somehow emerge pure? I don’t think so. Prejudice today among those of us who consider ourselves to be enlightened is more subtle and often hard to recognize.

I don’t want to overplay this here. I often feel that a charge of prejudice with regard to race, gender, age or religion is spurious and is launched to advance a personal or a political agenda. We all know this to be true and these instances deserve condemnation. Sometimes, an applicant doesn’t get the job simply because he or she doesn’t deserve it.

The medical profession, as an integral segment of our society, is not immune to this phenomenon. I’ve been reading over several years that medical professionals provide different levels of service to different races. The Institute of Medicine convulsed the profession with its 2002 report that reported that blacks and minorities received fewer heart bypass operations, kidney dialysis treatments, proper cardiac medications and cancer detection tests than did whites, even after controlling for insurance status and other variables.
More recently, in 2012, a University of Illinois psychology professor wrote that physicians prescribed more pain medicine to whites than to minorities for the same broken leg. Seems hard to believe.

As a physician, I find these reports to be preposterous, yet I cannot comfortably deny them either. I can’t fathom, for example, that I would prescribe less morphine to a Hispanic man suffering a heart attack than I would to a white patient. In fact, no doctor I know or work with would admit to this behavior. Leaving overt racists aside, no physician believes that he provides unequal care to his patients. In fact, most would zealously and sincerely refute such a charge.

The point by those who differ with defensive doctors like me is that the prejudicial treatment is unconscious and, therefore, cannot be detected by the physician perpetrators.

I am not accepting all of this as irrefutable truth, but I believe that the disparate medical care provided to different segments of our population needs to be explained. It’s a complex issue, and there are many moving parts at play here. It is certainly possible that physician bias is an explanatory factor.

I remind my physician colleagues that for years we vigorously denied that pharmaceutical salesmen who came to our offices with food and drink influenced our prescribing habits. We now know the truth here, and we should admit that we are susceptible to influences that we cannot easily detect.

I do my very best to treat every patient equally. If I am not doing so, I am truly not aware of it. Like many medical conditions, the challenge is in the treatment, not the diagnosis.

Hidden biases are not restricted to healers. Law enforcers, educators, juries, salesmen, hiring managers, journalists and the rest of us are not as pure as we think we are. Contemplating our prejudices is sensitive, nuanced and personal — not a simple black or white issue.

Michael Kirsch is a gastroenterologist who blogs at MD Whistleblower.  This article originally appeared in Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Should I become an anesthesiologist? Read this first before you decide.

June 25, 2015 Kevin 5
…
Next

Did you forget to thank someone? It's not too late.

June 26, 2015 Kevin 3
…

Tagged as: Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Should I become an anesthesiologist? Read this first before you decide.
Next Post >
Did you forget to thank someone? It's not too late.

More by Michael Kirsch, MD

  • Drawing the line on unnecessary medical tests

    Michael Kirsch, MD
  • We are suffering from an epidemic of anger

    Michael Kirsch, MD
  • Physicians sometimes need to deviate from established policies

    Michael Kirsch, MD

More in Physician

  • Decoding the brain’s decision-making: insights for medical professions and strategies for success

    Harvey Castro, MD, MBA
  • Unmasking the truth: the shocking reality of the opioid epidemic and who’s really to blame

    Jay K. Joshi, MD
  • Discover your true north: Navigating life’s confusions and embracing your path to success

    Tyler Jorgensen, MD
  • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

    Anonymous
  • From journalism to medicine: Unveiling the untold stories of patients’ medical conditions

    Veronica Bonales, MD
  • A mentor’s legacy in medicine, leadership, and embracing evidence-based care

    Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Is chaos in health care leading us towards socialized medicine? How physician burnout is a catalyst.

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Boxing legends Tyson and Foreman: powerful lessons for a resilient and evolving health care future

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • A physician’s typical day, as envisioned by a non-clinician health care MBA: a satire

      Jennifer Lycette, MD | Physician
    • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

      Anonymous | Physician
    • The tragic story of Mr. G: a painful journey towards understanding suicide

      William Lynes, MD | Physician
    • Decoding name displays in health care: Privacy, identification, and compliance unveiled

      Deepak Gupta, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
    • An inspiring tribute to an exceptional radiologist who made a lasting impact

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • Proactive risk management: a game-changer in preventing physician burnout

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Decoding the brain’s decision-making: insights for medical professions and strategies for success

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Unmasking the truth: the shocking reality of the opioid epidemic and who’s really to blame

      Jay K. Joshi, MD | Physician
    • Discover your true north: Navigating life’s confusions and embracing your path to success

      Tyler Jorgensen, MD | Physician
    • A revolution in patient empowerment: Working together to save our medical system [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Unlock financial freedom: The physician’s guide to lucrative multifamily syndications and wealth accumulation

      Pranay Parikh, MD | Finance

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 8 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • More Anxious Kids Medicated; Apple's Mental Health Moves; OTC Video Game for ADHD
  • ADHD Meds Linked to Lower Suicide Risk in Borderline Personality Disorder
  • Promising Gene Therapy for Overactive Bladder
  • The Case for Mandatory LGBTQ+ Health Education in Medical School
  • Shotgun Sequencing of Small Intestine Reveals Species Tied to GI Symptom Severity

Meeting Coverage

  • Promising Gene Therapy for Overactive Bladder
  • Shotgun Sequencing of Small Intestine Reveals Species Tied to GI Symptom Severity
  • FGFR Inhibitor Stakes Claim to Post-Anti-PD-1 Role in Advanced Bladder Cancer
  • Multimorbidity Patterns and Healthcare Utilization in Vets With Schizophrenia
  • Checkpoint Blockade Stumbles in Advanced EGFR-Mutant NSCLC
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Is chaos in health care leading us towards socialized medicine? How physician burnout is a catalyst.

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Boxing legends Tyson and Foreman: powerful lessons for a resilient and evolving health care future

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • A physician’s typical day, as envisioned by a non-clinician health care MBA: a satire

      Jennifer Lycette, MD | Physician
    • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

      Anonymous | Physician
    • The tragic story of Mr. G: a painful journey towards understanding suicide

      William Lynes, MD | Physician
    • Decoding name displays in health care: Privacy, identification, and compliance unveiled

      Deepak Gupta, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
    • An inspiring tribute to an exceptional radiologist who made a lasting impact

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • Proactive risk management: a game-changer in preventing physician burnout

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Decoding the brain’s decision-making: insights for medical professions and strategies for success

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Unmasking the truth: the shocking reality of the opioid epidemic and who’s really to blame

      Jay K. Joshi, MD | Physician
    • Discover your true north: Navigating life’s confusions and embracing your path to success

      Tyler Jorgensen, MD | Physician
    • A revolution in patient empowerment: Working together to save our medical system [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Unlock financial freedom: The physician’s guide to lucrative multifamily syndications and wealth accumulation

      Pranay Parikh, MD | Finance

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Racism in physicians: It’s not a black or white issue
8 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...