What a Doctor Looks Like

“What a Doctor Looks Like: Exploring Conscious and Unconscious Bias within the Healthcare Setting” is set to be a dynamic panel discussion with leading physicians in the field of medicine.

In October of 2016, Dr. Tamika Cross, a Houston OB-GYN, was stopped by a Delta flight attendant who would not allow her to aid a passenger in need when they called for a physician on board, but trusted a white man who “fit the description of a doctor.” Dr. Cross is an African American woman.

In reflection of this incident on a Delta Airlines flight, this event presents an opportunity for students and physicians of all backgrounds to engage in candid dialogue about the roles in which race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic status/class, age, ability, and privilege play in shaping our perceptions of who we believe medical professionals to be. In addition, we seek to explore the impact of conscious and unconscious biases within the medical profession, across intrapersonal and patient interactions.

Who: Georgetown University, Howard University, and George Washington University graduate students, nursing students, medical students, undergraduate students, residents, attending physicians, faculty, and staff.

Why: In order to begin addressing the barriers that marginalized people encounter within the medical community, we must first acknowledge the existence of said barriers, as well as the pervading conscious and unconscious biases we all carry that ultimately support them. We must also understand the ways in which unconscious bias manifests within the medical field, and strategize ways in which we will combat our unconscious biases in order to improve the quality of health-care delivery.

We look forward to you joining us for this important panel discussion.