One of many relevant sections of the AMSA PPP: “[AMSA] RECOGNIZES discrimination of any form is a public health concern especially as regards its impact on access to health care, socioeconomic status, exposure to violence, and social isolation and alienation”
The death of George Floyd has sparked protests in all 50 states. Floyd is one of many Black Americans who have been killed by the police in recent years, and his murder seems to many to be the culmination and tipping point of centuries of Black suffering at the hands of those in power in America. According to NPR, Black Americans are killed by the police at rates twice as high as the rate of white Americans. This inequity in violence constitutes a public health crisis.
Read The “Collective Black Physicians’ Statement” on the death of Mr. George Floyd.
If you’re living in the U.S., or likely anywhere in the world about now, this moment in history has been impossible to miss. The question is, what can you do as a medical student to drive change in the direction of anti-racism?
How can medical students contribute to anti-racism in America right now?
- Support organizations monetarily at any level that you can. Find organizations that are led by and serve Black and Brown communities. We recommend you:
- Donate to SNMA. SNMA and AMSA share many goals and values. Now is the time to lift this organization up and empower their work by donating.
- Donate to White Coats For Black Lives. Be mindful of groups co-opting the name of WC4BL; support their work directly.
- Donate to Physicians for Criminal Justice Reform. Founded by Dr. Edjah Nduom, PfCJR works towards eliminating the damaging health consequences that can result from negative interactions with the criminal justice system. Watch the recording below from Dr. Nduom’s session at AMSACon2020, “Criminal Justice Reform: Why This is Our Movement”
- Follow AMSA’s Race, Ethnicity, and Culture in Health Action Committee (REACH)
- Learn about REACH here, and sign up here to receive updates on the Committee’s work this year.
- Educate yourself. You’re a med student—learning is what you do. Here are a few resources to broaden your perspective if you understand the world from a position of privilege.
- Smithsonian’s 158 Resources to Understand Racism in America
- This mega-compendium of everything from podcasts to documentaries and books on illuminating the path of anti-racism
More projects & resources
- AAFP’s EveryONE Project aims to provide family medicine physicians with the tools to take action and confront health disparities.
- Explore Human Rights Campaign resources
- Prison Fellowship’s Advocate Training Resources to advocate for criminal justice reform
- Take action with The Sentencing Project
- Participate in a wide range of actions with the American Civil Liberties Union
- Reference the toolkit: New Era of Public Safety: An Advocacy Toolkit for Fair, Safe, and Effective Community Policing
We as an organization want to hear from you as we move forward together. Are there any resources or support that AMSA can offer? Comment below or reach out at members@amsa.org to see how we can help.
If you haven’t yet, read AMSA’s previous statement.
