Chairs

Current SIG Co-Chairs:

Ashaunta Anderson, MD, MPH, MSHS
shaunistar@hotmail.com

Tiffani Johnson, MD, MSc
johnsont6@email.chop.edu

Purpose and Mission

To bring awareness to the role of race in the practice of medicine and to provide resources by which our members can support the healthy development and optimal care for youth of color living in the United States.

Current SIG Goals

  • To develop strategies for increasing diversity and retention among academic medical faculty across the United States.
  • To develop best practices for caring for the youth of color in the primary care setting.

Annual Summary

This year our SIG meeting focused on addressing the latest statistics from the Association of American Medical Colleges illustrating the declining enrollment of black males in US medical schools. We discussed the impact of this decline on the education of all future physicians and the health outcomes of patients. We concluded by discussing barriers and obstacles faced by black males pursuing careers in medicine and potential solutions to these identified barriers.

Our invigorating session was led by a panel of black male physicians at varying levels in their careers:

Jean L. Raphael, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Baylor College of Medicine

Vincent C. Smith, MD MPH
Assistant Professor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Associate Director of NICU, Department of Neonatology
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Joshua Ellis
4th Year Medical Student
Howard University College of Medicine

George Dalembert, MD
3rd Year Resident
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Joseph L. Wright, MD MPH
Professor and Chair
Department of Pediatrics and Child Health
Howard University College of Medicine

In addition to this panel discussion, Tumaini Rucker Coker MD MBA came to discuss her role as the APA Board Chair of Membership, Diversity, and Inclusion. During this discussion, Dr. Coker discussed the purpose of her role on the APA board and asked for ideas and suggestions in including important issues around diversity and inclusion.