Do you have questions about or interests in the medical sphere? In this empowering article and interview, Dr. Uché Blackstock emphasizes the importance of dismantling systemic racism in medicine by rethinking care delivery, educating diverse healthcare professionals, and recognizing the impact of racism on patient health. Dr. Blackstock highlights “weathering,” a concept that describes the negative health impacts of systemic racism on marginalized communities. She urges healthcare institutions to support cross-racial mentoring, building diverse work environments, and challenging outdated, race-based medical practices as ways to further the work that is so desperately needed. Dr. Blackstock also calls for broader policy changes and active faculty development that can create a more inclusive and structurally competent medical field.
