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Racism In The Medical Field Essay

829 Words4 Pages

Racism in the Medical Field Racism has existed in the medical field for over 2,500 years. Where people of certain races, religions, and genders are all discriminated against by the people in this world who are supposed to help them. Doctors take an oath to treat all patients with equity, yet still some patients are prone to bigoted racism. However it goes the other way as well, even doctors experience racial prejudice by patients and their families. Racism is still immensely prevalent in today’s medical field. No matter which way society spins it, people are racist, sexist, and homophobic to everyone who does not look or act exactly like them. Doctors are the people in this world who are supposed to help everyone. They’re here to save lives, …show more content…

Their number one goal is to help their patients no matter what. However, not everyone follows that logic. If a person of color came into the clinic it is generally assumed that they just want drugs. If a Muslim came into a hospital with a gunshot wound it is assumed they are a terrorist so let us just let them die. If a Hispanic came into their local physicians office it is assumed that they are an illegal immigrant and shouldn’t be helped because they don’t belong here, they belong on the other side of the wall, in a land with no opportunity. Monique Tello had a patient of hers share a story of a painful experience in the emergency room. “They treated me like I was trying to play them, they didn’t try to make a diagnoses or help me at all” (Tello, 1). A middle-aged, church going, black women who has had no record of substance abuse, poorly treated because of the color of her skin and the stereotype she has unfairly fallen under. More stories like this exist, there are constant situations just like this one happening in hospitals all over the country. America is supposed to have the best resources, the best facilities, and the best doctors in the world. Notice the key words ‘supposed to’ because in times like this America is failing. Not only do doctors refuse to care for people of color, sometime doctors will misuse their power and abuse patients by unfairly

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