Black medical students face significant barriers when pursuing careers as surgeons.
Among them are a lack of mentor diversity, racism and microaggressions, and socioeconomic inequalities.
A study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons has drawn attention to the problem and is calling on medical schools to take prompt action to tackle the issues.
It highlights issues such as lack of mentorship, problematic admission criteria and experiences of racism during training.
The research was carried out by fourth-year undergraduate medical students at the University of Toronto (U of T) – co-lead authors Edgar Akuffo-Addo and Jaycie Dalson, alongside senior author Dr Jory Simpson from St Michael's Hospital.
They investigated factors contributing to the underrepresentation of Black surgeons in Canada.
The research team, which included a diverse group of Black medical students, conducted interviews with 27 participants from medical schools nationwide, comprising 18 medical students and nine surgical residents.
Among the key findings was the scarcity of Black mentors in surgical fields, exacerbating the challenge for Black medical students to find guidance and support.
Additionally, socioeconomic disparities were highlighted, with Black students often lacking the connections and resources necessary to navigate medical school and pursue surgical residencies.
The study also pointed out an overemphasis on research experience in the selection process for surgical residencies, which disadvantages Black students who are more likely to engage in advocacy work rather than research projects.
Additionally, the fact that advocacy work needs to be better valued contributes to the disadvantages.
Once Black students enter surgical residencies, this continues. They often face exclusion, racist comments and microaggressions, leading to feelings of isolation and impacting their psychological wellbeing.
To address this, the study’s authors emphasised the need for faculty and staff training programmes to address implicit bias and create inclusive environments within medical institutions.
The authors hope the insights will prompt medical schools across Canada to take proactive measures to support Black students in successfully accessing and completing surgical training.
They advocate for a more equitable process that ensures equal opportunities for all aspiring surgeons, regardless of race or background.
Jaycie Dalson said: ‘Diversity is so important, so we have everybody’s face at the table when making medical decisions.’
Last year, a study published in JAMA Network Open revealed a link between a higher prevalence of Black doctors to longer life expectancy and lower mortality in Black populations.
Monica Peek, a primary care physician and health equity researcher at UChicago Medicine, wrote an editorial accompanying the study. She said: ‘That a single Black physician in a county can impact an entire population’s mortality is stunningly overwhelming. It validates what people in health equity have been saying about all the ways Black physicians are important, but to see the impact at the population level is astonishing.’
Photo: Edgar Akuffo-Addo and Jaycie Dalson
