Modern Day Drapetomania: Calling Out Scientific Racism

Dec. 6 at noon

Join School of Medicine's Drs. Ijeoma Opara, Nakia Allen and Latonya Riddle-Jones as they present on the topic of their recently published JOURNAL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE article. 

Understanding and addressing scientific racism is a critical topic and game-changing toward dismantling structural & institutional racism in science, medicine, healthcare, & public health.  Key Points discussed: 

1. Racism in Medicine has deep historical roots in white supremacy and anti-Blackness, particularly the pathologizing of Black bodies through pseudoscientific claims of the biological significance of the sociopolitical construct that is “race”, which is often incorrectly conflated with “genetic ancestry” (Scientific Racism).
2. Scientific racism persists in modern medicine & research in the ways we continue to frame racial health disparities as a result of biological differences among racialized categories devoid of historical & sociopolitical context; as well as utilize race as an independent risk factor for disease incorporating it into clinical algorithms, & “race correcting” equations that inform medical decision-making, thereby contributing  to racial disparities.
3. In order to dismantle racism in medicine, research, & healthcare, we must eliminate scientific racism by identifying & excising it from clinical algorithms & medical decision-making equations; expunging it from the publication process  through critical antiracist peer-reviewing & editorship; transformation of medical & scientific education throughout the career continuum (from undergraduate studies through faculty development); & advocacy work to impact academic partnerships with patients, marginalized communities, & policy makers that prioritize the social & structural determinants of health to positively impact health outcomes. 

All are welcome to participate!