Beyond the White Coat

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The AAMC made significant strides in innovation through its collaboration with Thalamus, as well as enhancements to the MyERAS® application, expansion of the Fee Assistance Program, and introduction of new tools like the Dean’s Office WorkStation Analytics for Schools. Additional positive developments include streamlined program management, and reduced application costs. Further advancements include full integration of Thalamus Core for interview scheduling, holistic review scoring, enhanced data analytics capabilities, and improved user experiences. The AAMC reaffirms its commitment to supporting the medical education journey and remains responsive to community feedback while preparing for the 2024-25 application season with continued collaboration and innovation.

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Join us this week on “Beyond the White Coat” to talk about a group that is often forgotten about when we talk about diversity: people with disabilities. Guests Allison Kessler, MD, and Lisa Meeks, PhD, along with host AAMC President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, discuss why the number of disabled doctors continues to lag behind other underrepresented groups and what individuals and schools can do to help be more inclusive of those with disabilities. Stream wherever you get your podcasts.

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As director of community relations and strategy at the AAMC, Penny Schnarrs does more than just support the AAMC Virtual Community. She is leading the charge to create positive and impactful change for AAMC constituents by providing a space for collaboration and community building.Tune in to this episode of “Ask an Expert” to learn more from Schnarrs about her work and why the AAMC Virtual Community is the place for people who want to collaborate across medical education.

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Note: This episode contains a discussion about suicide and suicidality. Doctors have some of the best access to mental health resources, yet they have nearly double the risk of suicide when compared to non-health care workers. On this week’s episode of “Beyond the White Coat,” host AAMC President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, talks to Justin Bullock, MD, MPH, and Yunyu Xiao, PhD, about the stigmas that surround mental health in the medical profession and how those stigmas trickle down into patient care. Tune in to hear more about why it’s important for health care workers to take care of their own health and some ways that individuals and medical schools and teaching hospitals can create more supportive, inclusive environments.

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On this week’s episode of “Ask an Expert,” Michael Dill, director of Workforce Studies at the AAMC, answers questions about physician burnout, its effect on patient care, and the potential impact on future physicians in creating a more sustainable health care workforce.

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On the latest episode of “Beyond the White Coat,” join AAMC president and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, along with Susan Huang, MD, CEO of Providence Health Network, and LaTonya Trotter, PhD, MPH, associate professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, for a candid conversation addressing unprecedented levels of staff burnout, the staggering impact of rising prescription drug costs, and the nationwide crisis of staff shortages. Tune in wherever you get your podcasts.

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On this week’s episode of “Ask an Expert,” Boyle joins us to share his story of when he fell in love with writing, his evolution from newspaper to nonprofit reporting, and the ongoing challenges of free speech on medical school campuses.

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Free speech might be a hot topic right now, but this isn’t the first time it’s been in the news. For almost 2,500 years, free speech has been hotly debated among politicians, scholars, and average citizens across continents and cultures. What can we learn from millennia of debates? This week on “Beyond the White Coat,” we’re joined by Jacob Mchangama — CEO of the Future of Free Speech Project and featured speaker at Learn Serve Lead 2023: The AAMC Annual Meeting — to discuss not only what we can learn from the history of free speech, but also its future in the United States. Join host AAMC President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, as he and Mchangama discuss misinformation, hate speech, and more during this episode of “Beyond the White Coat.” Stream wherever you get your podcasts.

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On this special edition of “Beyond the White Coat” constitutional law expert Ted Shaw and AAMC Chief Legal Officer Frank Trinity, JD, talk about the Supreme Court’s recent ban on race-conscious admissions. Shaw is a civil rights attorney and director of the University of North Carolina Center for Civil Rights, one of two institutions at the center of the court’s decision. Previously at the University of Michigan, Shaw helped initiate a review of the university’s admissions policy that was later upheld by the Supreme Court. In this candid conversation, the two legal experts discuss anti-DEI legislation, the use of standardized tests in college admissions, and why it’s important to have hope in times of adversity.

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Amy Addams is the director of student affairs alignment and holistic review at the AAMC. In this role, she helps medical schools use holistic review to examine and revise admission processes to create a more equitable path to medicine. She also leads the AAMC’s work in improving equity and access for medical students and patients with disabilities. On this episode of “Ask an Expert,” Addams answers questions about the current role holistic review plays in the admissions process, the future of holistic review following the recent Supreme Court decision to ban race-conscious admissions, and the AAMC’s work in increasing diversity in medical school.

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This episode of “Beyond the White Coat” continues the topic of race-conscious admissions, this time examining the social and advisory impacts of one of the most pressing issues in higher education today. Host AAMC President and CEO and President David J. Skorton, MD, welcomes special guests Joon Kim, EdD, senior program director of postbaccalaureate programs at the Keck Graduate Institute, and Kyra Tyler, MEd, senior director of Bright Horizons College Coach, as they explore the concept of equal opportunity in higher education and how race-conscious admissions has addressed historical disadvantages, paving the way for greater equity. They help to bring a better understanding of how race-conscious admissions has driven systemic change and promotes social equity, exploring the transformative power of diversity in higher education and its impact on society. Lastly, Skorton and guests discover alternative approaches to incorporating diversity into admissions and weigh their effectiveness against race-conscious admissions. Beyond the White Coat is hosted by David J. Skorton, MD, and our executive producer is Zenneia McLendon. Our project manager is Brittany Loca. This episode was produced by Aaron Dillard and edited and engineered by Laura Zelaya. Elena Marinaccio is our copy editor, and De’Angello Powe made all our graphics. Our sound design is by De’Angello Powe and David J. Skorton. Rachel Bunn provided additional support for this episode.

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Geoffrey Young, PhD, has spent most of his career in academic medicine, both as an associate student affairs dean and an associate admissions dean, working with students from the start of their time in medical school to their graduation. At the AAMC, he is the senior director of transforming the health care workforce, focusing on creating a more diverse workforce in medicine and providing resources for students who are interested in a career in medicine. On this inaugural mini episode of “Ask an Expert,” Young talks about the work the AAMC is doing to get more diverse doctors into the field of medicine and why this is important work for the AAMC to lead. Beyond the White Coat Presents Ask an Expert is hosted and produced by Rachel Bunn and our executive producer is Zenneia McLendon. Our project manager is Brittany Loca. This episode was edited and engineered by Laura Zelaya. Elena Marinaccio is our copy editor, and De’Angello Powe made all our graphics. Our sound design is by De’Angello Powe and David J. Skorton.

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Join us for a discussion on one of the most complex topics in higher education today: race-conscious admissions. In Part 1 of this two-part episode, we delve into the legal aftermath of the recent Supreme Court decisions (SFFA v. Harvard and SFFA v. UNC); the use of race as a factor in college and graduate school admissions; and how the recent court decision will affect creating more equitable and diverse medical school student bodies.AAMC President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, is joined in conversation by Mark Henderson, MD, and Heather Alarcon, JD, for an enlightening and thought-provoking discussion around this crucial topic.Henderson is professor of internal medicine, vice chair for education, and associate dean for admissions at the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine. He also served as residency program director at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio and at UC Davis. The state of California banned affirmative action in 1996, and Henderson provides insight into how medical schools can still have a diverse student body based on his experiences at UC Davis, which is one of the most diverse medical schools in the country. As the senior director of legal services at the AAMC, Alarcon is an expert in matters ranging from civil rights and employment law to national policy issues impacting medical education. She was one of the authors of the AAMC's amicus brief to the Supreme Court in the Harvard and UNC cases in support of race-conscious admissions.Beyond the White Coat is hosted by David J. Skorton, MD, and our executive producer is Zenneia McLendon. Our project manager is Brittany Loca. This episode was produced by Aaron Dillard and edited and engineered by Laura Zelaya. Elena Marinaccio is our copy editor, and De’Angello Powe made all our graphics. Our sound design is by De’Angello Powe and David J. Skorton. Rachel Bunn provided additional support for this episode.

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In the latest episode of “Beyond the White Coat,” AAMC President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, and Roger A. Mitchell Jr., MD, chair of the Department of Pathology at Howard University College of Medicine, have a compelling and informative discussion on gun violence as a public health crisis and how the academic medicine community can come together to address prevention.

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On this episode of “Beyond the White Coat,” Karey Sutton, PhD, AAMC director of health equity research workforce and director of research for the AAMC Center for Health Justice, talks with experts Giselle Corbie-Smith, MD, and Aaron Gerstenmaier, MD, about the racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 vaccination rates and explores strategies to promote equity in vaccine access.

Episode Guests:

Giselle Corbie-Smith, MD, is a Kenan distinguished professor of the Departments of Social Medicine and Medicine and the director of the UNC Center for Health Equity Research at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, as well as the associate provost for UNC Rural Initiatives at UNC Chapel Hill. She is nationally recognized for her scholarly work on the inclusion of disparity populations in research and is accomplished in drawing communities, faculty, and health care providers into working partnerships in clinical and translational research. Her empirical work, using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, has focused on the methodological, ethical, and practical issues of research to address racial disparities in health.
Aaron Gerstenmaier, MD, is the associate chief medical officer of Community of Hope — a nonprofit organization that focuses health services on low-income, medically under-resourced residents of Washington, D.C. — where he oversees a wide range of medical care and other programs designed to improve the health of vulnerable populations. Dr. Gerstenmaier has played a critical role in ensuring the continuity of medical services to the Washington, D.C., community during the pandemic, overseeing the transition to virtual care, supporting occupational health programs, ensuring clinical protocols for COVID-19 testing and vaccine distribution, and providing a range of other health services to over 11,000 patients in 2020. As an assistant professor of medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine, he demonstrates a strong commitment to medical student and resident education, particularly around the importance and role of community health care. He also has his degree of fellow from the American Academy of Family Physicians. Dr. Gerstenmaier is board-certified in family medicine and received his medical degree from the Ohio State University College of Medicine. He also completed his residency at Georgetown/Providence Family Medicine Residency Program.

Credits:

Hosted by Karey Sutton, PhD, AAMC director of health equity research workforce and director of research for the AAMC Center for Health Justice.
Produced by Stephanie Weiner, AAMC director of digital strategy and engagement, and Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager.
Recorded and edited by Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager.
With special contributions from Michelle Zajac, AAMC digital copy editor; Sholape Oriola, AAMC video specialist; and Mikhaila Richards, AAMC senior digital content strategist.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

“A Different Kind of Leader” podcast
10 Principles of Trustworthiness from the AAMC Center for Health Justice

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On this episode of “Beyond the White Coat,” Rosha McCoy, MD, AAMC senior director for advancing clinical leadership and quality, talks with health care providers and experts to debunk common myths and share accurate information about the COVID-19 vaccines as part of the nation’s efforts to increase vaccinations and end the pandemic.

Episode Guests

Earic Bonner, MD, is an internal medicine physician at Vidant Internal Medicine in Edenton, North Carolina. He also works at Vidant Chowan Hospital as a hospitalist and at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University as an assistant professor of internal medicine. Currently, he serves as the medical director for ambulatory quality and patient safety; the regional medical director for the Vidant practices in Bertie, Chowan, and Perquimans counties; and director of continuing medical education for Vidant Chowan Hospital. He was formerly the hospitalist medical director and chief of medicine for Vidant Chowan Hospital. In his practice, he continues to teach students and residents from North Carolina’s medical, nursing, and physician assistant schools.
Mamie Williams, MPH, is the director of nurse safety and well-being at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She is currently completing a PhD in nursing from the University of Kansas. At present, she serves as the co-chair of the VUMC African American Employee Resource Group and the VUMC Racial Equity Task Force. Ms. Williams is also an advisory board member for the American Nurses Association’s Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation national initiative. In her spare time, Ms. Williams is an avid gardener.
Ross McKinney Jr., MD, is the AAMC’s chief scientific officer, an infectious disease specialist, and a member of the Duke University faculty for over 30 years. During his time at Duke, he was director of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, vice dean for research at Duke University School of Medicine, and director of the Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities, and History of Medicine. Dr. McKinney leads the AAMC’s programs that support medical research and the training of physician-scientists in academic medicine.
Zanthia Wiley, MD, is the director of antimicrobial stewardship at Emory University Hospital Midtown. She completed medical school at the University of Alabama School of Medicine and both her Internal Medicine residency and Infectious Diseases fellowship at Emory. She has the unique experience of having worked as an academic hospitalist at Emory for 10 years prior to pursuing a career in infectious diseases. Dr. Wiley is dedicated to education and received the Jonas A. Shulman Teacher of the Year Award for 2018-2019, which is awarded yearly by the Emory Infectious Diseases fellows to a faculty member for excellence in teaching. She is a member of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Education Committee and the Infectious Diseases Society of America Medical Education Community of Practice. Dr. Wiley is the joint principal investigator on an institutional Woodruff Health Sciences Center COVID-19 Center for Urgent Research Engagement Award assessing “Clinical Characteristics, Outcomes, and Predictors of Readmission in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients at Eight Atlanta Hospitals.” She is an investigator in several clinical trials, including the large national Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial studies, and she is a co-investigator in the Emory Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit. Dr. Wiley is a member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council in Emory University School of Medicine's Department of Medicine and the Emory Collaborative Community Outreach and Health Disparities Research Initiative, and she serves as the physician lead of the Emory Healthcare COVID-19 Treatment Guidance Committee. She has given numerous talks on COVID-19 disparities on a local, regional, and national level and is dedicated to educating patients, their families, health care providers, and the community on the importance of COVID-19 vaccination.

Credits:

Hosted by Rosha McCoy, MD, AAMC senior director for advancing clinical leadership and quality.
Produced by Stephanie Weiner, AAMC director of digital strategy and engagement.
Recorded and edited by Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager.
With special contributions from Michelle Zajac, AAMC digital copy editor; Sholape Oriola, AAMC video specialist; John Buarotti, AAMC senior media relations specialist; and Mikhaila Richards, AAMC senior digital content strategist.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

“Convincing Rural Residents to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine” AAMCNews, April 15, 2021

More episodes in the “VaccineVoices” podcast series

AAMC resources for media covering COVID-19 vaccination efforts

Myths and facts about COVID-19 vaccines (CDC)

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Science is the only way out of the pandemic. And while health care personnel were the first group in the United States to be offered the vaccines, many of these individuals remain unconvinced and unprotected. In this episode, AAMC Chief Health Care Officer Janis Orlowski, MD, talks with Houston Methodist President and CEO Marc Boom, MD, and Memorial Hermann Health System President and CEO David Callender, MD, about the challenges health care systems are experiencing in trying to ensure their staff are vaccinated and what can be done to build vaccine confidence.

Episode Guests:

David Callender, MD, is the president and CEO of the Memorial Hermann Health System. In his role, Dr. Callender is responsible for leading and overseeing the system’s network of more than 270 hospitals and diagnostic and specialty centers, with more than 28,000 employees and 6,500 affiliated physicians. An ENT surgeon with expertise in head and neck cancers, Dr. Callender has proven to be a successful health care leader over the course of his career, achieving successes in forward-thinking strategic planning, improvements in delivering high-quality and high-value health care, fostering strong leadership development, engaging employees, and enabling physician collaboration.
Marc Boom, MD, is the president and CEO of Houston Methodist and holds the Ella Fondren and Josie Roberts presidential distinguished centennial chair. Dr. Boom holds a BS in biology with high honors from the University of Texas at Austin, an MD with high honors from Baylor College of Medicine, and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He completed residencies in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School and fellowships in geriatric medicine and general medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He is board-certified in internal medicine and geriatric medicine and is a fellow of the American College of Physicians.

Credits:

Hosted by Janis Orlowski, MD, AAMC chief health care officer.
Produced by Stephanie Weiner, AAMC director of digital strategy and engagement.
Recorded and edited by Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager.
With special contributions from Michelle Zajac, AAMC digital copy editor; Sholape Oriola, AAMC video specialist; Mikhaila Richards, AAMC senior digital content strategist; Gabi Redford, AAMCNews managing editor; and Victoria Rivas-Vazquez, AAMC senior director of strategic communications.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

“Is It Safe? How Experts Assessed J&J’s Suspended COVID-19 Vaccine” AAMCNews, April 23, 2021

“Dollars to Doughnuts: Will Incentives Motivate COVID-19 Vaccination?” AAMCNews, April 15, 2021

New resource for media covering COVID-19 vaccination efforts: The AAMC has launched VaccineWise.org as part of its ongoing cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our goal is to build trust and promote confidence in COVID-19 vaccines among health care personnel and communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. VaccineWise.org is a central resource for members of the media covering COVID-19 vaccination efforts across the country. The website is updated weekly to share media alerts, information, resources, and current data, as well as background on available spokespeople from the AAMC and its member medical schools and teaching hospitals.

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In a new episode of the “Beyond the White Coat” podcast, David J. Skorton, MD, AAMC president and CEO, talks with guests about how the academic medicine community can educate lawmakers about the issues that will help their institutions continue to serve their patients and communities. Guests include Karen Fisher, JD, AAMC chief public policy officer; Jim Leary, JD, vice president of government and community relations for UMass Memorial Health Care and co-chair of the AAMC Government Relations Representatives (GRR) group; and Maurice Rigsby, JD, vice chancellor for institutional relations at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and chair-elect of the AAMC GRR group.

Episode Guests:

Karen Fisher, JD, is the AAMC’s chief public policy officer. She leads the AAMC’s policy and advocacy efforts on federal policies affecting the “health of all,” particularly those involving AAMC-member medical schools and teaching hospitals’ missions of education, research, clinical care, and community collaborations. An expert on health care policy analysis, development, and implementation, Fisher has more than 25 years of legislative and regulatory expertise gained in both the public and private sectors.
Jim Leary, JD, has served as the vice president of government and community relations for UMass Memorial Health Care since 2018. Prior to his current role, he held the same title at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He is the current chair of the AAMC Government Relations Representatives (GRR) group. Between 2000 and 2007, he served as a Massachusetts state representative for the 14th Worcester District. In addition, he was the senior advisor to former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and chief of staff to former Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray. Leary earned his undergraduate degree in politics from Assumption College and his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.
Maurice Rigsby, JD, has served as the vice chancellor for institutional relations at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) since 2017. He is the chair-elect of the AAMC GRR group. Prior to his role at the UAMS, Rigsby worked in the Arkansas attorney general’s office, where he managed the attorney general’s policy agenda while working with members of the state legislature and the governor’s office.

Credits:

Hosted by David J. Skorton, MD, AAMC president and CEO.
Produced by Kathy Gambrell, AAMC senior digital content strategist.
Recorded and edited by Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager, and Sholape Oriola, AAMC video specialist.
With special contributions from Michelle Zajac, AAMC digital copy editor; Stephanie Weiner, AAMC director of digital strategy and engagement; and Erica Froyd, AAMC senior director of advocacy and engagement.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

2021 Policy Priorities to Improve the Nation’s Health
AAMC Advocacy and Policy Resources
More From the “Beyond the White Coat” Podcast

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Clarence Fluker talks with three guests about the alarming absence of Black men in medicine: Norma Poll-Hunter, PhD, senior director of the AAMC’s workforce diversity portfolio; Malcolm Woodland, PhD, co-founder and director of Young Doctors DC; and André Smith, a student studying for his master’s degree in health sciences at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, and a member of the Action Collaborative for Black Men in Medicine steering committee sponsored by the AAMC and the National Medical Association.

Episode Guests:

Norma Poll-Hunter, PhD, is the senior director of the workforce diversity portfolio in equity, diversity, and inclusion at the AAMC. In this role, she leads a portfolio of career development programs with a focus on diversity and inclusion across the medical education continuum. She serves as the deputy director for the Summer Health Professions Education Program, a national pipeline program to increase diversity in the health professions. Prior to the AAMC, Dr. Poll-Hunter practiced as a bilingual psychologist at a regional hospital in upstate New York. Following receipt of her BA from Lehman College, City University of New York, Dr. Poll-Hunter earned her PhD in counseling psychology at the University at Albany, State University of New York.

Malcolm Woodland, PhD, is the co-founder and director of Young Doctors DC, a mentoring, education, and pipeline to health careers program for Black boys and young men in Washington, D.C. Dr. Woodland is also the chief psychologist and chair of clinical research at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Prior to his current position, Dr. Woodland served as an American Educational Research Association fellow at the University of California, Berkeley. He earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from Howard University and completed his undergraduate studies at Tougaloo College in Mississippi.

André Smith is a 2020 graduate of the University of Mississippi, where he majored in biological sciences and minored in chemistry and society and health. He is currently studying for his master’s degree in health sciences at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. He aspires to be an orthopedic surgeon. Mr. Smith is a member of the Action Collaborative for Black Men in Medicine steering committee sponsored by the AAMC and the National Medical Association. The Action Collaborative for Black Men in Medicine is a networking community that aims to increase the representation of Black men in medicine. 

Credits:

Hosted by Clarence Fluker, AAMC director of community engagement.
Produced by Mikhaila Richards, AAMC senior digital content strategist.
Recorded and edited by Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager.
With special contributions from  Sholape Oriola, AAMC video specialist, and Michelle Zajac, AAMC digital copy editor.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Altering the Course: Black Males in Medicine, AAMC 2015
AAMC, NMA Announce Black Action Collaborative, August 3, 2020
Young Doctors DC

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We’ve known for a long time that systemic racism influences the social determinants of health — affecting, quite literally, who in this country survives and who suffers. People who live in poorer neighborhoods often receive lower quality and less care from health care providers. And long-standing discrimination against all marginalized communities has created dramatic health inequities. David J. Skorton, MD, looks back at some of the conversations we had about these very difficult and persistent issues this past season on “Beyond the White Coat.”

Episode Guests (full bios are available on episode pages):

Lonnie G. Bunch III, Season 2, Episode 1 guest
David A. Acosta, MD, Season 2, Episode 2 guest
Max Jordan Nguemeni Tiako, Season 2, Episode 3 guest
Laura Guidry-Grimes, PhD; Brian Gittens, EdD; Carol Major, MD; and Charles Vega, MD, Season 2, Episode 4 guests

Credits:

Narrated by David J. Skorton, MD, AAMC president and CEO.
Produced by Stephanie Weiner, AAMC director of digital strategy and engagement.
Recorded and edited by Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager.
With special contributions from Michelle Zajac, AAMC digital copy editor; Sholape Oriola, AAMC video specialist; and Kristin Zipay, AAMC executive communications lead writer.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

AAMC Racism and Health Resources
Racism and Health: A Reading List
More From the “Beyond the White Coat” Podcast

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Examples of bias in the delivery of health care are rampant. In this episode of “Beyond the White Coat,” AAMC Senior Director of Health Equity Partnerships and Programs Malika Fair, MD, MPH, speaks with Laura Guidry-Grimes, PhD; Brian Gittens, EdD; Carol Major, MD; and Charles Vega, MD, to explore how academic medicine can move toward more equitable care for all and to dive deeper into how we prepare and train the physicians of tomorrow to be allies for everyone.

Episode Guests:

Carol Major, MD, is a UCI Health obstetrician who specializes in maternal-fetal medicine and high-risk pregnancies. Major is the co-founder of Leadership Education to Advance Diversity–African, Black and Caribbean, a University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine mission-based program aimed at producing future physicians who are committed to addressing the health needs of African, Black, and Caribbean communities in California, the United States, and beyond.
Charles Vega, MD, is a professor of family medicine at the UC Irvine School of Medicine and the director of the Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community, a mission-based, dual-degree program intended to address the needs of underserved Latino communities.
Laura Guidry-Grimes, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Medical Humanities and Bioethics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). Guidry-Grimes received her doctorate in philosophy at Georgetown University. She has worked for over five years as a clinical ethics consultant at multiple hospitals. Along with her consult work, Guidry-Grimes is interested in disability bioethics, ethics of psychiatry, and determining how best to understand vulnerability in health care.
Brian Gittens, EdD, is the vice chancellor of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the UAMS. Gittens specializes in strategic diversity and inclusion, organizational and leadership development, organizational assessment and analysis, change management, and talent management in support of optimizing organizational performance and quality initiatives. Gittens has successfully led and collaborated on the design and implementation of organization wide diversity and inclusion initiatives, organizational development programs, and competency assessments.

Credits:

Hosted by Malika Fair, MD, MPH, AAMC senior director of health equity partnerships and programs.
Produced by Stephanie Weiner, AAMC director of digital strategy and engagement.
Recorded by Sholape Oriola, AAMC video specialist.
Edited by Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager.
With special contributions from Kathy Gambrell, AAMC senior digital content strategist; Michelle Zajac, AAMC digital copy editor; and Bridget Balch, AAMC staff writer.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

AAMC Racism and Health Resources
“New Poll Shows Black Americans See a Racist Health Care System Setting the Stage for Pandemic’s Impact,” The Undefeated, October 2020
“Racism and Discrimination in Health Care: Providers and Patients,” Harvard Health Blog, updated July 9, 2020
“A New Hippocratic Oath Asks Doctors To Fight Racial Injustice And Misinformation,” NPR, Nov. 4, 2020
“How Medical Education Can Help Fight Racism,” Modern Healthcare, Aug. 29, 2020
“Op-Ed: Diversity Is the Answer to Disparities in Healthcare,” Medpage Today, Aug. 24, 2020
“Is COVID-19 Making Black Birth More Complicated?,” CBS News, Aug. 10, 2020
“UCI Podcast: How the LEAD-ABC Program Gives Black Medical Students a ‘Powerful’ Voice,” UCI News, June 16, 2020
More From the “Beyond the White Coat” Podcast

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Providing hospice and respite care for the homeless is tough in the best of times, but it’s especially difficult during a pandemic. Staff members at Joseph’s House, a nonprofit organization that provides a respite and hospice care for people experiencing homelessness, are constantly figuring out new and creative ways to help the population they serve with limited resources or resources that aren’t designed to truly serve marginalized and vulnerable people. In this episode of “Beyond the White Coat: Making the Rounds,” AAMC Director of Community Engagement Clarence Fluker and Liz Fehrenbach, program director at Joseph’s House, talk about what it means to persevere as the organization attempts to serve its community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Episode Guest:

Liz Fehrenbach, RN, has worked as a registered nurse and care coordinator for HIV-positive adults and individuals experiencing homelessness for 11 years. Before working at Joseph’s House, she provided outreach, clinical nursing care, and medical case management as the nurse at a small Health Care for the Homeless clinic in Burlington, Vermont. Her background in serving vulnerable populations, along with her interest in social justice and contemplative care, led her to Joseph’s House in 2016. For three years, she provided nursing care coordination and case management for current and former residents. Since October 2019, she has served as the program director at Joseph’s House. In this role, she is responsible for developing and implementing policies and procedures; overseeing quality improvement and management; and supervising our care team of registered nurses, social workers, care aides, and service-year volunteers.

Credits:

Hosted by Clarence Fluker, AAMC director of community engagement.
Produced by Mikhaila Richards, AAMC senior digital content strategist, and Clarence Fluker.
Episode recorded and edited by Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager.
With special contributions from Sholape Oriola, AAMC video specialist, and Adedayo Adeniyi, AAMC community health specialist.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Joseph's House
"Joseph’s House: Where Homeless D.C. Residents Find Comfort In Their Final Days"(WAMU 88.5)
"The Longest Night: Discharged and Homeless" (AAMCNews)
"As Living With HIV Becomes More Common, Affordable Housing Remains Out of Reach for Many Seniors"(AAMCNews)

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Sandeep Sharma, MD, practices internal medicine at So Others Might Eat (SOME), an interfaith community-based organization that helps the poor and people experiencing homelessness in our nation's capital. The times are especially hard for the homeless patients at SOME’s medical clinic who are navigating a new world dominated by a deadly virus. Dr. Sharma and his colleagues struggle to find and work with these patients while sticking to safety measures meant to protect everyone from COVID-19. In this episode of “Beyond the White Coat: Making the Rounds,” AAMC Director of Community Engagement Clarence Fluker talks with Dr. Sharma about what it means to meet the medical needs of SOME’s clientele and how the pandemic has impacted access to much-needed health care.

Episode Guest:

Sandeep Sharma, MD, has been practicing internal medicine for 17 years with special interests in nutrition, wellness, indigent care and geriatrics. He has a traditional internal medicine practice in Maryland and also practices primary care in Washington, D.C., with So Others Might Eat, a community-based organization which provides medical, dental, and behavioral health services to the poor and homeless population of Washington, D.C. Dr. Sharma is a graduate of the University of Maryland College Park. He earned his medical degree in the United Kingdom and completed his residency training in internal medicine at the Medstar Franklin Square Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

Credits:

Hosted by Clarence Fluker, AAMC director of community engagement.
Produced by Mikhaila Richards, AAMC senior digital content strategist, and Clarence Fluker.
Episode recorded and edited by Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager.
With special contributions from Rachel Bunn, AAMC senior digital content strategist; Sholape Oriola, AAMC video specialist; and Adedayo Adeniyi, AAMC community health specialist.

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So Others Might Eat
“Delivering Meaningful, Not Marginalized, Care to the Homeless” (AAMCNews)
"These 10 Graphs Expose D.C.’s Homeless Crisis" (Street Sense Media)

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As a fundamental right, housing security is one of the basic means through which people can protect their families and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. But, as the pandemic rages on and its economic impact becomes more dire, nonprofit organizations with missions dedicated to ending homelessness expect an exponential increase in housing insecurity across the United States. In this episode of “Beyond the White Coat: Making the Rounds,” AAMC Director of Community Engagement Clarence Fluker sits down with Lara Pukatch, director of advocacy at Miriam’s Kitchen, to talk about the connection between housing, health, and health care and how academic medicine can lend its strengths to the fight against homelessness.

Episode Guest:

Lara Pukatch is the director of advocacy at Miriam’s Kitchen, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending long-term homelessness in Washington, D.C. She has over 15 years of experience as a policy and advocacy professional with expertise in empowering vulnerable populations, leading coalitions, and facilitating large-scale institutional change. Lara chairs the Way Home Campaign, an advocacy movement to end chronic homelessness, and also oversees Miriam’s Kitchen’s work to ensure that individuals with lived experience of homelessness are true drivers of the change they wish to see in their city.

Credits:

Hosted by Clarence Fluker, AAMC director of community engagement.
Produced by Mikhaila Richards, AAMC senior digital content strategist, and Clarence Fluker.
Episode recorded and edited by Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager.
With special contributions from Sholape Oriola, AAMC video specialist, and Adedayo Adeniyi, AAMC community health specialist.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Miriam’s Kitchen
"Miriam's Kitchen Provides Food for DC Homeless Community" (NBC Washington)
"Housing is Healthcare" (Street Sense)
"‘A Pileup of Inequities’: Why People of Color Are Hit Hardest by Homelessness" (The Pew Charitable Trusts)
"‘Two Sides Of The Same Coin’: Addressing The Link Between Racism And Homelessness" (DCist/WAMU 88.5)
“Putting a Roof Over Patients’ Heads” (AAMCNews)

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In this episode of “Beyond the White Coat,” Geoffrey Young, PhD, AAMC senior director of student affairs and programs, speaks with Max Jordan Nguemeni Tiako, a fourth-year medical student at Yale School of Medicine, on his experience as a learner and as an advocate for racial equity and equality in medical education and health care. Nguemeni Tiako gives his perspective on racism in medical education and his work writing the “White Coat and a Hoodie” column and producing the “Flip the Script” podcast on health disparities.

Episode Guest:

Max Jordan Nguemeni Tiako is a fourth-year medical student at Yale School of Medicine. He grew up in Yaounde, Cameroon. He earned a bachelor of science in civil and environmental engineering from Howard University and a master of science in bioengineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. His research interests include cardiovascular health, addiction medicine, and the built environment's impact on health. He is currently spending his research year as a fellow in the Center for Emergency Care Policy and Research at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He writes about racism in medical education in the medical student magazine In-Training in his column “White Coat and a Hoodie.” He is the host of a podcast focusing on health disparities called “Flip the Script.”

Credits:

Hosted by Geoffrey Young, PhD, AAMC senior director of student affairs and programs.
Produced by Stephanie Weiner, AAMC director of digital strategy and engagement, and Kathy Gambrell, AAMC senior digital content strategist.
Episode recorded and edited by Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager.
With special contributions from Zenneia McLendon, AAMC director of digital content strategy, and Sholape Oriola, AAMC video specialist.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

White Coat and a Hoodie column (In-Training)
“Flip the Script” Podcast
AAMC Framework for Addressing and Eliminating Racism at the AAMC, in Academic Medicine, and Beyond
“AAMC Releases Framework to Address and Eliminate Racism” (AAMCNews)
AAMC Racism and Health Resources
“Medical Schools Need to Do Much More to Protect Students of Color From Racism” (AAMCNews)
“Academic Medical Leaders and Learners Reflect on Police Brutality, Racism, and the Path Forward” (AAMCNews)
“Ibram X. Kendi Defines What It Means to Be an Antiracist” (Penguin)

More From the “Beyond the White Coat” Podcast >

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The history of medicine is filled with amazing scientific discoveries and remarkable innovation, but the profession is also haunted by a history of structural oppression and exclusionary practices that act as barriers for people of color. This history influences the policies, practices, and procedures that govern how physicians are trained in the United States today. In this episode of “Beyond the White Coat,” AAMC President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, speaks with AAMC Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer David A. Acosta, MD, about the history of structural racism in U.S. medical education and how that history informs today’s learning environment.

Episode Guest:

David A. Acosta, MD, AAMC chief diversity and inclusion officer, provides strategic vision and leadership for the AAMC’s diversity and inclusion activities across the medical education community and leads the association’s Diversity Policy and Programs unit. Dr. Acosta, a family medicine physician, joined the AAMC from the University of California (UC), Davis, School of Medicine where he served as senior associate dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion and associate vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer for UC Davis Health. He previously served as the first chief diversity officer at the University of Washington School of Medicine, where he established the Center for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and was the founder of the school’s Center for Cultural Proficiency in Medical Education.

Credits:

Hosted by David J. Skorton, MD, AAMC president and CEO.
Produced by Stephanie Weiner, AAMC director of digital strategy and engagement, and Mikhaila Richards, AAMC senior digital content strategist.
Episode recorded and edited by Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager.
With special contributions from Zenneia McLendon, AAMC director of digital content strategy, and Sholape Oriola, AAMC video specialist.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

AAMC Framework for Addressing and Eliminating Racism at the AAMC, in Academic Medicine, and Beyond
“AAMC Releases Framework to Address and Eliminate Racism” (AAMCNews)
AAMC Racism and Health Resources
More from the “Beyond the White Coat” Podcast

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Academic medicine is taking a hard look at its role in the long-standing systemic and institutional racism that Black Americans have faced when engaging with teaching hospitals, medical schools, and research programs — an experience that historically has fostered distrust of medicine and health care within the Black community. David J. Skorton, MD, AAMC president and CEO, talks with Lonnie G. Bunch III, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, about how the history of racism in medical schools, clinical care, and research has impacted academic medicine’s relationship with the Black community. They discuss what can be done to regain trust and become allies and partners in their health and wellness.

Episode Guest:

Lonnie G. Bunch III is the 14th secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. He assumed his position June 16, 2019. As secretary, he oversees 19 museums, 21 libraries, the National Zoo, numerous research centers, and several education units and centers. In service to the historical and cultural community, Bunch has served on the advisory boards of the American Association of Museums and the American Association for State and Local History. In 2005, Bunch was named one of the 100 most influential museum professionals of the 20th century by the American Association of Museums.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

AAMC Racism and Health Resources
“Why I gave up my dream of leading diversity efforts in medicine,” AAMCNews
“Racism and Discrimination in Health Care: Providers and Patients,” Harvard Health Publishing
“How Structural Racism Affects Healthcare,” MedPage Today
Podcast: Racial Health Disparities: How COVID-19 Magnified a Public Health Emergency
More from the “Beyond the White Coat” Podcast

Episode Credits:

Hosted by David J. Skorton, MD, AAMC president and CEO.
Produced by Stephanie Weiner, AAMC director of digital strategy and engagement, and Kathy Gambrell, AAMC senior digital content strategist.
Introduction written and narrated by, and episode recorded and edited by, Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager.
With special contributions from Zenneia McLendon, AAMC director of digital content strategy; Brandon Brown, AAMC senior outreach specialist; and Sholape Oriola, AAMC video specialist.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the health disparities in America’s communities of color in such dramatic fashion that racism is now seen as a public health emergency. In the season finale of “Beyond the White Coat,” David Skorton, MD, AAMC president and CEO, and Malika Fair, MD, MPH, senior director of health equity partnerships and programs at the AAMC, discuss what forces are driving the disparities in health care access, how physicians can work to acknowledge and address racism against Black Americans, and what the academic medicine community can do to address institutional and systemic racism.

Episode Guest:

Malika Fair, MD, MPH, is senior director of health equity partnerships and programs at the AAMC and an associate clinical professor and practicing physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine of the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Episode Credits:

Hosted by David Skorton, MD, president and CEO of the AAMC.
Produced by Stephanie Weiner, AAMC manager of digital strategy; Gabrielle Redford, AAMCNews director and managing editor; and Patrick Boyle, AAMCNews staff writer.
Edited by Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Racism and Health - Resources for the Academic Community
AAMC Press Conference: Racism and Health: How and Where to Make Changes (June 12, 2020)
“Academic medical leaders and learners reflect on police brutality, racism, and the path forward" (AAMCNews, June 5, 2020)
AAMC Statement on Police Brutality and Racism in America and Their Impact on Health (June 1, 2010)
“Why is my community suffering more from COVID-19?” (AAMCNews, May 20, 2020)
Season 1 of the “Beyond the White Coat” Podcast

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In this two-part episode series, David Skorton, MD, AAMC president and CEO, talks with Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Rep. Donna Shalala (D-Fla.) about how health care policy will change for patients, the research community, and the workforce in the wake of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Episode Guest:Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) serves as Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. He also chairs the Senate Rules Committee and serves on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, among other committee assignments. Sen. Blunt has supported the Paycheck Protection Program and the Health Care Enhancement Act.

Credits:Hosted by David Skorton, MD, president and CEO of the AAMC
Produced by Stephanie Weiner, AAMC manager of digital strategy; Erica Froyd, AAMC senior director of advocacy and engagement; and Kathy Gambrell, AAMC senior digital content strategist
Edited by Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager

In Case You're Interested:* Podcast: Season 1, Episode 1: Who Gets That Ventilator? Bioethics in the Era of COVID * Podcast: Season 1, Episode 2: Accelerating Transformation in Times of Crisis * Podcast: Season 1, Episode 3: A Pivotal Moment for Science: A Conversation with Dr. Francis Collins * Podcast: Season 1, Episode 4: Preserving Well-being in a Pandemic

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In this two-part episode, David Skorton, MD, AAMC president and CEO, talks with Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Rep. Donna Shalala (D-Fla.) about how health care policy will change for patients, the research community, and the workforce in the wake of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Episode Guest:Rep. Donna Shalala (D-Fla.) is an advocate for women’s rights, civil rights, increased access to health care, better education and public schools, and a clean and sustainable environment. She is the longest-serving secretary of health and human services in U.S. history, and in April, Rep. Shalala was appointed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to serve on the five-member COVID-19 Congressional Oversight Commission. The commission was created by the CARES Act to provide oversight of the law’s spending and financial programs.

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In this week’s episode of “Beyond the White Coat,” David J. Skorton, MD, AAMC president and CEO, talks with Jonathan Ripp, MD, MPH, senior associate dean for well-being and resilience and chief wellness officer at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, about how we can care for ourselves, and others, in the era of COVID-19.

Episode Guest:

Jonathan Ripp, MD, MPH is Professor of Medicine, Medical Education and Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Senior Associate Dean for Well-Being and Resilience and Chief Wellness Officer at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS).

Episode Credits:

Hosted by David Skorton, MD, president and CEO of the AAMC.
Produced by Stephanie Weiner, AAMC manager of digital strategy, and Kristin Zipay, AAMC executive communications lead writer.
Edited by Laura Zelaya, AAMC production manager.

Beyond the White Coat: Recent Episodes

Association of American Medical Colleges