Skills-based education in medical school: a step towards health equity & social justice

Recent data have illuminated the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on minority groups nationwide, with Latinx and African-Americans three times as likely to become infected and twice as likely to die from the virus as whites living in the same counties. 1 These racial/ethnic disparities are partic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Postgraduate medical journal 2021-04, Vol.97 (1146), p.205-206
Main Authors: Yu, Zizi, Chen, Steven T, LaChance, Avery H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Black Lives Matter movement
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Leadership
Pandemics
Patient satisfaction
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Summary:Recent data have illuminated the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on minority groups nationwide, with Latinx and African-Americans three times as likely to become infected and twice as likely to die from the virus as whites living in the same counties. 1 These racial/ethnic disparities are particularly stark in suburban and exurban areas, where differences in how people work and live are more pronounced than in cities. 1 Within Massachusetts, medical students have advocated strongly to address racial disparities and increase transparency in COVID-19 data collection, contributing to passage of legislation overhauling the state’s COVID-19 reporting and establishing a disparities task force to address ongoing pandemic-related health disparities. While many have advocated for leadership training in medical school and residency, 3 4 they highlight strictly clinical downstream benefits: improved clinical outcomes, quality of care, patient satisfaction, team dynamics and less physician burnout. 3 However, greater emphasis on skills-based undergraduate medical education may also advance health equity and help achieve greater social justice. [...]communication is integral to any interaction, and expressing one’s expertise in an advocacy arena requires unique written and oral communication skills not traditionally gleaned from medical training.
ISSN:0032-5473
1469-0756
DOI:10.1136/postgradmedj-2020-139238