The author(s)
Sydney Feldman
Guest(s)
Dr. Robert Roswell
Listen to the podcast
Podcast Overview
Disparities and inequities in healthcare are widespread, affecting physicians just as much as patients. In a survey funded by the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, and co-authored by a group of researchers and doctors from Washington, Florida, and New Jersey, findings show that 23% of physicians who participated in the survey reported that patients refused to receive care due to the attending physician’s race.3
When Dr. Tamika Cross, a female Black physician, was victim to discrimination aboard a Delta Airlines flight, her Facebook post (linked here) led to comments and shares of other physicians echoing similar experiences of discrimination due to race, age, or gender. Recognizing that Dr. Cross’s experience was not an isolated incident led me to wonder how common physician discrimination is in the US healthcare system.
In this second podcast episode, I am joined by Dr. Robert Roswell, Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Barbara & Donald Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University, an associate professor of cardiology and science education, and a practicing cardiologist. Dr. Roswell also speaks in the third episode, focusing on diversity in medical school admissions.
Our conversation focuses on the experience of physicians—specifically the experience of physicians belonging to minority groups—and the ways in which the administrators of health systems have begun to establish resources, regulations, and protocols to help mitigate discrimination directed towards physicians of specific demographics.