Transgender discrimination: Physicians must not lag behind

Education
November 11, 2015

As a native New Yorker, I was thrilled when Governor Cuomo announced plans for an executive order that prohibits discrimination against transgender people in areas such as employment and housing. Specifically, this executive order would expand existing anti-discrimination protections to include gender identity, transgender status, and gender dysphoria. There have also been advancements regarding the protection of transgender people from discrimination in health care.

Recently, the Department of Health and Human …

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Transgender discrimination: Physicians must not lag behind

It’s dangerous. It can kill. But physicians don’t want to talk about it.

Conditions
November 8, 2015

“You need to come to the ED ASAP.”

A new patient was admitted at 2 a.m. and requested for a crisis counselor. Unlike with cases of sexual assault, survivors of domestic violence had to specifically request for the presence of an advocate when I was volunteering in NYC back in 2009. This woman, I’ll call her Sadie, had already taken the first courageous step to seek help.

I briskly walked past …

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It’s dangerous. It can kill. But physicians don’t want to talk about it.

Why it’s important for physicians to talk about bias

Physician
September 18, 2015

I’m not racist.

I would never refuse to give a patient pain medication or fail to properly get her on a transplant waiting list just because she was black.

And, yet, to deny that I hold any bias would be foolish, naïve at best.

Ask any American if he or she is racist, and you’re likely to get a resounding no. Look at numbers on interview callbacks or prison sentences, and you get …

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Why it’s important for physicians to talk about bias