Health Disparities Scholars Program

Jon Davidow

Course Director

Jon Davidow is a third year medical student at American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, currently completing his clinical rotations in the Bronx, one of the most historically under-resourced parts of the US. Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Jon worked in nonprofits and health technology for 10 years before enrolling in medical school. Most recently, he co-founded and helped to build the country's first national advance care planning registry as a Covid-19 relief project. He has been a participant in three AMSA Scholars Programs and presented a poster on teaching Carceral Health to medical students at the 2020 AMSA Convention. Jon has always been a social justice advocate and is passionate about healing not just the person behind the patient but also the social conditions they struggle against.

Registration for the 2020-2021 program is now closed.

Program Overview

In late 2019, a discussion erupted in the US over whether the social determinants of health should be taught in medical school. By early 2020, it was clear that the nation's health disparities were deeply responsible for the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 along racial and class lines. In this course we will take a deep dive into lived experiences of the social determinants of health. We'll employ both a macro and a micro lens to understand how the social determinants of health play out as health disparities within our healthcare system. Each class will center around the perspective of advocates and activists and what they would hope we would know about their lives as we enter our profession. Through their voice, we'll develop an understanding of how we can provide better care to our patients and become better advocates for our communities.

Start Date: September 10, 2020
End Date: February 4, 2021
Meeting Times: 7:00 - 8:00 PM ET, every two weeks on Thursday

Registration

Registration Type	Rate
AMSA Members	FREE
Nonmembers	$50

Why will I LOVE this Program?

This course will be extremely hands-on. We'll explore issues from a patient-centered perspective and get our hands dirty with data. For an hour a week, we'll get to interact with the experts -- those with lived experiences and the health professionals who work with these issues day in and day out. You'll grow as a person, you'll grow as an aspiring health professional, and you'll grow as an advocate for a fair and just distribution of healthcare in our society.

Download Course Syllabus

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