COM Outlook Winter 2021

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY | 13 Medical Association acknowledged its century-long policies and history that perpetuated racial inequality toward Black physicians. The association also recog- nized that racism in its various forms is an urgent threat to public health, the advancement of health equity, and a barrier to excellence in the delivery of medical care. This culminated with a pledge of action. In the past few months, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine’s leadership on the Council on Diversity and Equity has expressed its commitment to supporting the efforts of all colleges of medicine in their efforts to address diversity, racial inequalities, and disparities. “I, along with other members of the SNMA Execu- tive Board, were granted the opportunity to present our thoughts and perspectives to the council and have been honored to know that they have taken them into consideration for future planning efforts,” Anderson said. “This is one way I would like to continue to make a difference—by being offered a seat at the table as a stakeholder to assist in community-planning collaborative efforts.” KPCOM Challenge When it comes to making change, the easiest way to start is usually in one’s immediate environment. As a college in South Florida, the KPCOM is exposed to a diverse community, but there’s more work that can be done to battle racial inequality—especially in the medical field. The KPCOM has started by not shying away from the conversation and supporting Black lives, as seen in a powerful message penned by the college’s dean, Elaine M. Wallace, D.O., M.S. 4 , following the death of George Floyd due to police brutality. The KUP initia- tive, led by Paula Anderson-Worts, D.O., M.P.H., assistant dean of faculty and alumni affairs, has kept the conversation going with various themed discussions and group forums on the topic. Now that speaking up isn’t an issue, the same efforts need to translate to the classroom, with transparency on how the institution is recruiting, admitting, and supporting underrepresented minority students. “There needs to be at least a class of physicians that is 50 percent Black and Native American,” Khalifa challenged. “We need to learn dermatology on different shades of patients. We need to talk about police brutality and medical racism/exploitation.” The increase in BIPOC physicians would greatly contribute to diversifying the face of medicine, where patients can see themselves represented, especially in increasing the number of Black physicians, who currently only comprise five percent of the workforce. The KPCOM could even take its diverse outreach further by focusing on minority groups before they apply to medical school. “I believe that the KPCOM can continue to show support by improving outreach programs to Black premedical students and other underrepresented minority premedical students who don’t have as much access to opportunities as their majority counterparts,” Fredric said. “We must continue to be proactive in our approach of educating faculty members and students on racial biases within and outside the medical field.” The task is a difficult one, as it often leads to uncom- fortable conversations. Yet, being a college that thrives on change is something the KPCOM has ingrained in its identity. After all, “In centering our focus on the most marginalized and underserved communities, we uplift all communities,” Anderson concluded. o A worker at the Masjid Al-Ansar mosque unpacks the masks that were obtained through Yara Khalifa’s Overtown initiative.