2 6 • O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J U L Y 2 0 2 0
T
he following firsthand accounts are real, raw and at times
disturbing. They pull back the curtain on the everyday
experiences of minorities in surgery and spotlight how
various forms of discrimination manifest in ways both
big and small. The brave providers who lent their voices
to these pages want to raise awareness of systemic racism in health
care and inspire a deeper understanding of how it impacts people of
color who have dedicated their lives to caring for patients. They want
to increase diversity, inclusion and acceptance in the profession they
love. Their willingness to speak up inspires and shows that remaining
silent about racial injustice is no longer an option. The conversation
starts now.
OSM
Standing Together
I
'm fully aware of my blackness in a predominantly white work
environment. Through-out my almost 20-year career in surgery,
I've often been the only Black person in the OR. In most places I
work, you can count on one hand the number of African Americans in
the entire perioperative services environment.
I feel a constant pressure to not allow my true feelings to show, to
suppress my emotions just to get through the day. I've felt that way
for 18 years while working in surgery. That's my reality. It's exhaust-
ing.
I've faced racism numerous times during my career. A surgical
retractor at a hospital I once worked at was nicknamed "Little
I Want to be a Person of Change
Surgical professionals share their experiences of
racism and express hope for a more inclusive future.
