What is Medical Racism?

March 2024

Medical racism is one of the largest problems in the U.S. healthcare system today, yet many people do not know it exists. Since the beginning of modern medicine, black people and other people of color have not been taken seriously when it comes to medical issues. In the past, it was believed that black people did not feel pain the way white people did, making them test subjects for many dangerous and humane medical practices. This inaccurate belief’s consequences are still felt today, as when people of color seek medical attention, they are often not believed by doctors or are gaslit into believing their problem is not as severe as it truly is.

The impact of medical racism is detrimental to people of color as they often do not trust medical professionals or will not seek medical attention when they should due to the fear that they will be disparaged. Well, how can we fix this? The first step is to educate ourselves on the problems facing people of color in the medical industry and stand up for them when they express inadequate treatment from professionals. Also, teaching medical professionals how to unlearn racial bias so they treat all patients fairly is crucial to making healthcare a safe space for all patients.

Medical racism is a large problem impacting people of color and spreading this knowledge will help everyone get the treatment they need and deserve.

To learn more about Medical Racism, listen to our podcast episode with Dr. Tamika Lasege; “Racism in Healthcare is REAL, and People are Dying because of it!”

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Content in this article was sourced from the American Medical Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.