Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

That was me: a millennial physician’s experience with racism

Tera Frederick Howard, MD
Physician
June 12, 2020
Share
Tweet
Share

A black girl was called the N-word on the playground in elementary school in the ’90s. That black girl was me.

A black girl was called ugly because of her dark black skin in elementary school in the ’90s. That black girl was me.

A black girl created and independently executed a project for the science fair in elementary school. The authenticity of the project was questioned by the judges because something that good couldn’t really come from someone like her. That black girl was me.

A black girl was repeatedly told that she “talked like a white girl.” That black girl was me.

A black girl was told she wasn’t good enough to be national honor society president by the white woman faculty adviser. That black girl was me (who organized a sit-in and became president anyway).

A black girl was accused of plagiarism by her white female AP English teacher because the paper was “written so well.” That black girl was me.

A black girl was called a sell-out for going to Wake Forest instead of a historically black college and university. That black girl was me.

A black young woman was asked “how” she got into Wake Forest despite having great test scores and GPA. That black young woman was me.

A black young woman was told by her college pre-med faculty adviser that she couldn’t get into a top medical school despite having a good portfolio. That black young woman was me.

A black young woman was confronted with tears by her white young woman friend about why the black young woman got inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, and she didn’t (despite the fact that the black young woman had one of the highest GPAs on campus). That black young woman was me.

A black young woman was told by her white young man friend that affirmative action got her medical school acceptance in place of him. That black young woman was me.

A black young woman was told by her good friend and roommate that she was too intimidating to be friends with anymore because “everything good” was happening to the black young woman. That black young woman was me.

ADVERTISEMENT

A black woman was repeatedly mistaken for something other than a Vanderbilt medical student despite wearing a white coat and proper identification. That black woman was me.

A black woman was stopped mid-sentence in a residency interview by a white program director and told, “I’m sorry. You are just so articulate.” That black woman was me.

A black woman was followed in the university store at her alma mater while trying to buy her baby a onesie. That black woman was me.

A white male medical student wrote a negative review on a black woman resident because a resident required the student to know the patient’s name before getting to deliver the baby. That black woman was me.

A black woman resident is confused for another black woman resident on repeated occasions despite not sharing any physical characteristics with that resident besides a different shade of the same skin color. That black woman was me.

A black woman physician was asked to show her credentials to prove she belonged in the physician’s lounge. That black woman was me.

A black woman physician was dismissed by a patient with the reason, “I like her, but I don’t want her to be my doctor. I just can’t put my finger on it.” That black woman was me.

A black woman physician was formally reported by white nurses for disagreeing with their plan of care. That black woman was me.

A black woman physician received feedback that she was “intimidating,” had issues with “tone,”  was not “professional,” and that she was “not responsive to feedback.” That black woman was me.

Sadly, these experiences are shared by many like me who have different names.

They are a mix of both macro and microaggressions, but hurtful just the same.

So the next time you think racism in health care doesn’t exist, refer to the above list.

And think of me.

Tera Frederick Howard is an obstetrics-gynecology physician.

Image credit: Tera Frederick Howard

Prev

Adapting medical safety standards to enhance police outcomes

June 12, 2020 Kevin 0
…
Next

The black physician's burden

June 12, 2020 Kevin 2
…

Tagged as: Medical school, OB/GYN

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Adapting medical safety standards to enhance police outcomes
Next Post >
The black physician's burden

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Tera Frederick Howard, MD

  • Seeing the unseen: How racism manifests in professional spaces and how you can help

    Tera Frederick Howard, MD

Related Posts

  • A physician’s addiction to social media

    Amanda Xi, MD
  • The black physician’s burden

    Naomi Tweyo Nkinsi
  • A physician shares her positive experience with social media

    Claudine J. Aguilera, MD
  • A physician’s personal experience with gun violence

    Farah Karipineni, MD, MPH
  • How a physician keynote can highlight your conference

    Kevin Pho, MD
  • Chasing numbers contributes to physician burnout

    DrizzleMD

More in Physician

  • How tragedy shaped a medical career

    Ronald L. Lindsay, MD
  • A doctor’s guide to preparing for your death

    Joseph Pepe, MD
  • How policy and stigma block addiction treatment

    Mariana Ndrio, MD
  • Why don’t women in medicine support each other?

    Jessie Mahoney, MD
  • IMGs are the future of U.S. primary care

    Adam Brandon Bondoc, MD
  • The high cost of gender inequity in medicine

    Kolleen Dougherty, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The human case for preserving the nipple after mastectomy

      Thomas Amburn, MD | Conditions
    • Nuclear verdicts and rising costs: How inflation is reshaping medical malpractice claims

      Robert E. White, Jr. & The Doctors Company | Policy
    • How new loan caps could destroy diversity in medical education

      Caleb Andrus-Gazyeva | Policy
    • IMGs are the future of U.S. primary care

      Adam Brandon Bondoc, MD | Physician
    • From nurse practitioner to leader in quality improvement [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The crushing bureaucracy that’s driving independent physicians to extinction

      Scott Tzorfas, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Health equity in Inland Southern California requires urgent action

      Vishruth Nagam | Policy
    • How restrictive opioid policies worsen the crisis

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • Why primary care needs better dermatology training

      Alex Siauw | Conditions
    • New student loan caps could shut low-income students out of medicine

      Tom Phan, MD | Physician
    • Why pain doctors face unfair scrutiny and harsh penalties in California

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • Love, birds, and fries: a story of innocence and connection

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Healing from medical training by learning to trust your body again [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How tragedy shaped a medical career

      Ronald L. Lindsay, MD | Physician
    • A doctor’s guide to preparing for your death

      Joseph Pepe, MD | Physician
    • Coconut oil’s role in Alzheimer’s and depression

      Marc Arginteanu, MD | Conditions
    • How policy and stigma block addiction treatment

      Mariana Ndrio, MD | Physician
    • Unused IV catheters cost U.S. hospitals billions

      Piyush Pillarisetti | Policy

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 2 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The human case for preserving the nipple after mastectomy

      Thomas Amburn, MD | Conditions
    • Nuclear verdicts and rising costs: How inflation is reshaping medical malpractice claims

      Robert E. White, Jr. & The Doctors Company | Policy
    • How new loan caps could destroy diversity in medical education

      Caleb Andrus-Gazyeva | Policy
    • IMGs are the future of U.S. primary care

      Adam Brandon Bondoc, MD | Physician
    • From nurse practitioner to leader in quality improvement [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The crushing bureaucracy that’s driving independent physicians to extinction

      Scott Tzorfas, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Health equity in Inland Southern California requires urgent action

      Vishruth Nagam | Policy
    • How restrictive opioid policies worsen the crisis

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • Why primary care needs better dermatology training

      Alex Siauw | Conditions
    • New student loan caps could shut low-income students out of medicine

      Tom Phan, MD | Physician
    • Why pain doctors face unfair scrutiny and harsh penalties in California

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • Love, birds, and fries: a story of innocence and connection

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Healing from medical training by learning to trust your body again [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How tragedy shaped a medical career

      Ronald L. Lindsay, MD | Physician
    • A doctor’s guide to preparing for your death

      Joseph Pepe, MD | Physician
    • Coconut oil’s role in Alzheimer’s and depression

      Marc Arginteanu, MD | Conditions
    • How policy and stigma block addiction treatment

      Mariana Ndrio, MD | Physician
    • Unused IV catheters cost U.S. hospitals billions

      Piyush Pillarisetti | Policy

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

That was me: a millennial physician’s experience with racism
2 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...