Importance Of Diversity In The Community And The Medical Community

This is a report I am writing as part of my work experience portfolio showing how individuals care needs are successfully met. This will be done by talking about equality, diversity and anti-discrimination.

Diversity is the process where all individuals are respected and valued the same. This means within a health and social care setting all individuals care is not obstructed or compromised by their differences whether this race, religion or gender.

In recent years, there has been a predicted shortage of physicians in the United States of America by 2025, numbering between 46,000 and 90,000 physicians for a growing United States population 1. However, the more pressing issue will be an even bigger shortage of minority physicians. Minorities are underrepresented in medical facilities as students and faculty. However, one minority especially has been on the decline since 1978. African American males in the medical field have been on a steady downward trend. In 1978, 1,410 African American males applied to medical school, compared to 2014, when 1,337 African American males applied to medical school 2. This downward trend is concerning to many persons both inside and out of the medical field. A recent article published by the

Have you ever been to the doctor and don't quite understand what the provider is telling you, or are you a healthcare worker and you don't understand your patients? Should the healthcare provider get diversity training or should they maybe learn new languages? More than ever before, healthcare professionals are subjected to dealing with a number of immense and different cultural diversities. While diversity is often a term used to refer specifically to cultural differences, diversity applies to all the qualities that make people different. Diversity requires more than knowing about individual differences and it key for overcoming cross-cultural barriers in healthcare.

Arkansas lacks diversity in the dental profession because many people in that field are predominantly white and some are afraid of change. Being an African American male living in this prejudiced and racial environment, it's very hard for me to be given the equal opportunity and the proper guidance to pursue a career in dentistry, unlike others that come from a wealthy family. My goal is to improve diversity in the dental profession in Arkansas, which will lead to more minority patients to undergo dental treatment. Meanwhile, when I went to my first dentist appointment I was so ecstatic until I realized that I was the only black person there. However, the other patients and the dental staff looked at me with an unwelcoming facial expression

My decision to pursue a career as a physician was not a blinding revelation, being the daughter of two immigrant parents the thought of becoming a physician seemed distant. In high school I pursued to obtain what for me was then the highest education I perceived I would be able to achieve which was going to college and obtaining a bachelor’s degree. As the quote by Ralph Ellison highlights, “When I discover who I am, I’ll be free”. This quote resonates with the start of my second year in college, as I have been able to find my passion for medicine. More specifically, I explored my values and how I wanted to shape my future. I reflected upon the encounters and dramatic effects that physicians have had with my own family. The most impactful

For as long as I could remember, I have seen my father rushing to the hospital in a white coat, answering pagers in the middle of important family conversations and attending night calls even in the most terrible weather. I had always wondered; what could be so important that it belittles every other responsibility in his life. It was only after many years of anguish and protests that it finally made sense to me. This defining moment of realization occurred when I first met a patient in his office. I saw how the gratitude in the patient’s eyes can provide a sense of fulfillment that triumphs all other feelings in the universe. It was human life that was most important. Being a doctor does not make you a mere healer but also gives you the responsibility of a caregiver. I had never felt more proud of my father and that was the day I felt the urge to relive this feeling many times over. It was there in that moment that I decided to pursue a career in medicine.

Diversity means difference as everyone is very different no one is the same, for example twins may be identical but be totally different and have different interests and different stages off development.

With America’s growing minority population, the healthcare field needed to reflect the change. Therefore, medical schools implemented affirmative action plans in order to address this issue. However, the controversy started to rise when white college applicants began to take legal action against public universities and medical schools over the admission process. While some people suggest affirmative action enhances students learning experiences and brings diversity to the medical field, others argue that it violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause and should instead of using race as a factor, medical schools should use socioeconomic factors in the admission process. Nevertheless, while racial and socioeconomic diversity is

With America’s growing minority population, the healthcare field needed to reflect the change. Therefore, medical schools implemented affirmative action plans in order to address this issue. However, controversy started to rise when white college applicants began to take legal action against public universities and medical schools over the admissions process. While some people suggest affirmative action enhances students learning experiences and brings diversity to the medical field, others argue that it violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause and should instead use socioeconomic factors in the admissions process. Nevertheless, while racial and socioeconomic diversity is important in medical education, some aspects of these

Through these volunteering efforts alongside medically underserved individuals I gained experience as well as a better sense of cultural competence and compassion that has gradually helped me learn the capacity to understand other people’s experiences and sufferings in a way I never had before. Furthermore, by specifically working in family and free health clinics, I have had the opportunity to gain perspective to the present health disparities of minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals. I have witnessed how a lack of insurance, monetary income, or health education can affect one’s decision to attain primary health care. Seeing their medically related hardships increase has only challenged me to contribute my unwavering efforts to pursue the Biomedical Sciences MS degree and become a compassionate, culturally competent, and respectful type of physician who thinks logically and rationally when striving to help people in their greatest time of need, instead of focusing on their

Cultural diversity has different meaning to each and every one. Some of us considering cultural diversity to be acquired where for the others it’s a skill that they have to learn. It’s very important that the health care providers are knowledgeable and sensitive to cultural differences because they are the ones to deal with the patients of different background on a daily basis. Being cultural savvy will help them to give the best patient care. For that reason, health care workers must be especially aware that addressing cultural diversity goes above the values, beliefs, practices and customs. An outstanding medical professional has a good manner and makes patients feel comfortable and at ease during exams and treatments. Cultural knowledge is the skill to respond appropriately to people of different cultures, ages, races, religions, sexual orientations, abilities, and ethnicities, and embrace on the way that will allow a person to feel respected and valued. The article "Diversity & Cultural Competency in Health Care Settings" discusses diversity in health care environment, "A health care professional who has learned cultural competence engages in assistive, supportive, facilitative, or enabling acts that are tailor-made to fit with individual, group, or institutional, cultural values, beliefs, and life ways in order to provide quality health care. In other words, they demonstrate the attitudes and behaviors that enable them to effectively work with individuals with diverse

The unavoidable assortment in traditions, attitudes, practices, and conduct that exists among gatherings of individuals from various ethnic, racial, or national foundations who come into contact is defined as diversity.

Based on common interests, I formed lifelong relationships with my classmates even though initially I was ignored due to my race. Having interacted with individuals raised in PA, allowed me to understand the culture of the area while providing further motivation to practice medicine here as well.. I also preserved my Indian heritage in a town where one percent of the population is of Asian descent. Raised in an Indian household, taught me the rich culture and history of India but I also observed the culture of rural America and combined both perspectives. I have been able to effectively communicate with any individual regardless of what part of the world they come from. I strongly feel my childhood experiences will help me immensely in practicing medicine by developing a great patient-physician rapport in any area as a doctor, who happens to be a

Maintaining an organization with industry-leading levels of diversity and inclusion is critical to fulfilling our mission, sustaining our business objectives, and providing the highest quality, affordable, and culturally competent care to our members and patients and the communities we serve.” ("Kaiser Permanente",