Dear Drs. Taubman and Chaudron:
I think the article “Medical Schools Are Failing Minority Students” posted in Psychology Today recently sums it up, describing a JAMA Internal Medicine paper published this February: “It is often dangerous to be a minority in medicine…In too many ways the playing field is not level for minorities in medicine.” The editorial goes on to make suggestions about how to help minority medical students. This is reminiscent of the same suggestions made by medical students in 2015. It is reminiscent of the same promises made by The University of Rochester at that time, which now, it appears, to have returned void. So, we are now five years later, and with no notable improvement in the circumstances under which black medical students matriculate here. It is clear the present leadership has not fulfilled the “duty of care” required for the growth and well-being of our future black doctors. The Black Physicians Network’s mission is plain: “Reduce health disparities and improve the health of the community by increasing the number of black physicians.” Our requests are in line with that mission alone.
In reviewing the supporting information regarding the medical students’ original request in 2015 and seeing that the requirements of the job were not accomplished by you, Dr. Chaudron, we respectfully ask that you resign this position to make way for the original intentions to be carried out. We do hope that you will continue your desire to assist in uplifting black and other underrepresented medical students in other aspects of your work.
The University must commit to seeing an increase in black students ready for the rigors of medical school. As we all know, this starts well before the summer preceding medical school. Pipeline programs must receive vigorous support at all levels:
- Re-institute the Health & Technology Youth Apprenticeship Program (HTYAP), the premiere high school pre-health apprenticeship program in our area.
- Increase investment in East High School students to develop a pipeline of black candidates for college and eventual medical school here in Rochester.
- Continue support of pre-medical programming, such as SURF here in Rochester.
The University must commit to the well-being and maturation of black medical trainees at all levels while here.
- Mentorship should be provided by attendings of all races and ethnicities for black medical students, not only black attendings. While we see some of this happening, it needs to happen more often and with greater intention.
- Establish and enhance student academic support programs that identify, supports and assist students experiencing academic difficulties. This should be accessed by students when the student feels they need the services, not only when their grades have fallen below a certain level. Prevention should be important in learning as well as medical care.
- Provide adequate financial support of the Association of Minority Residents and Fellows (AMRF), to attend and present at national conferences, have meaningful social interactions amongst themselves and other young professionals in the community, and more. An initial budget of $10,000 is appropriate. We should not be required to solicit funds to carry out some of these activities, as we have in the past, and charge The University to do that.
The University must commit to making it affordable and attractive to potential black medical students. With increasing options for them to graduate with significantly less debt from excellent institutions, we have to do more to recruit and retain black medical students.
- Offer 10 full scholarships annually to black students, to entice them to come to Rochester
- Increase funding to the Office of Diversity to travel to Historically Black Colleges and Universities to recruit students and residents and attendings
- Financial commitment to the Student National Medical Association so that at least two students per year may attend national conferences; financial support so that they are able to plan and execute their annual pre-health conference, health fair, and participate in other community activities. A budget of $2000 annually is woefully inadequate. An initial budget of $10,000 is appropriate.
- Financial commitment to pay for the Universal Question bank for black students with financial hardship. Tangible financial assistance for board examinations (including travel and board) for black students with financial hardship.
- Formal assistance for black students to find a residency spot when they do not match. We saw a very disproportionate result in the match this year for black students. We know that it is not an unbiased way to get a job. More specifically, we hold The University accountable when a student is conferred a Doctor of Medicine degree and cannot find a residency of any kind. We must do more to help black students realize the inherent biases in the match process and systematically fight them.
The University must commit to protect all students from acts of racism and discrimination and be treated with respect and concern. As an institution, The University of Rochester must commit to being anti-racist.
- Produce a strong anti-racism statement, with policies to back it up. The Board of Trustees should sign off on resolutions to that end.
- Develop explicit statements indicating that racism will not be tolerated in any form upon employment by The University, including resident physicians on up, and signed by all.
- Establish an endowed chair for Health Disparities / Racial Inequities in the medical school to be filled by a black educator.
- We request a nationwide search for a dean/executive who is responsible for the recruitment and retention of black physicians and doctoral level educators within your ranks.
- Ongoing training by experts in the field for Board of Trustee and upper level management on how to recruit and retain black people within their diverse workforce.
- We request that those responsible for the mentoring and promotion of academicians regularly report on the advancement of black candidates to the community. This includes community physicians active in educating The University’s residents and fellows.
- Employ the “Rooney Rule” when all levels of leadership open across The University, including chiefs of staff, department positions, and upper level positions within The University. It should be required that a qualified black person be sought after and interviewed for each opening.
- Establish a hotline for staff, patients, and visitors to report racist comments or actions that then leads to, at minimum, education.
- Establish a committee to review complaints of racism by University personnel that is composed of at least 50% community members and 50% university personnel. Each half of the committee must have a composition that is at least 50% racial minority (representing those underrepresented in medicine). This committee will have the authority to recommend education and other disciplinary action for racist acts and comments. They will also be empowered to refer issues to law enforcement when necessary.
- Provide monthly CME events related to issues of race and health disparities, with all attendings and residents/fellows required to attend at least 50% of those per year.
Lastly, we acknowledge, respect, and endorse the demands of the black medical students, residents and fellows. In December 2015, a list of 7 recommended corrective actions were presented to the URSMD Dean at the #ActionsSpeakLouder Demonstration. A specific plan was put in place but never truly enacted. Dr. Guylda Richard Johnson recently made the bold move to point out the unfulfilled promises made by The University; we support her stance and share in her dismay at the lack of action on the part of The University. We will regularly engage her and other members of the SNMA and AMRF to be the litmus test for how progress is being made with our demands, and theirs of The University.
We request that you, Dr. Taubman, and any member of your team charged with carrying out the requests we’ve made, meet with the Black Physicians Network on a quarterly basis, at a mutually agreeable time, to seek input and guidance from us, along with providing reports on The University’s progress towards your commitment to black medical students, residents, fellows and attendings. We trust that further outreach beyond this letter will not be necessary.
We expect a completed by plan by September 30, 2020, and the first update by December 31, 2020.
References:
NOTE:
The letter above, written by Dr. Linda Clark (BPNroc.org chair) on June 10, was preceded on June 5 by her brief letter to URMed supporting the demands of young black doctors advocating for equity and included an offer to partner with URMed in the search for and execution of solutions. The June 5 letter received a cordial response the very next day from the University.
Last modified: July 6, 2020
