Haoua Saley
An estimated 5 percent of physicians identify as Black, despite making up 13 percent of the U.S. population. A recent study using information from the U.S. The Census Bureau found that the proportion of Black physicians in the United States has only increased by 4 percent from 1900-2018. This study also reported that the percentage of Black male physicians has remained relatively stagnant since 1940. Diversity issues also exist in other health care professions, with an estimated 7.8 percent of nurses, 3.8 percent of dentists, and 2.5 percent of physical therapists being Black. But to grow the number of black physicians we must understand how Black people have impacted healthcare. I have made a short, brief timeline of some of the most influential african-american doctors whose legacies have, and will, forever impact health-care communities, specifically the black health-care communities.
Dr. James McCune Smith (1813–1865) was the first Black American to obtain a medical degree. The fragments of the schoolwork that still survive from his studies at the African Free School in New York demonstrated that he was an amazing student from the beginning. After completing secondary school, Smith wanted to pursue an education in medicine. Medical schools in the US did not permit the enrollment of Black students at the time, but he did not allow that to stop him from pursuing his goals. He entered Glasgow University in Scotland and earned three academic degrees: a baccalaureate, a master’s degree, and a doctorate in medicine.
Dr. Ruth Ella Moore (1903–1994) was the first Black person to earn a PhD in the natural sciences and made significant contributions to understanding infectious diseases. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Moore’s mother supported her to pursue her education. Moore earned her Bachelor of Science degree in 1926 and her Masters of Science degree in 1927 from Ohio State University. Soon after, she returned to her alma mater to complete her PhD in Bacteriology in 1933, becoming the first Black American ever to do so.
Dr. Patricia E. Bath (1942–2019) was an ophthalmologist, inventor, and laser scientist best known for her contributions to blindness prevention, treatment, and cure. Among her contributions with the most impact on public health was the invention of a new device and technique for cataract surgery known as the Laserphaco. Dr. Bath was a crucial figure in bringing ophthalmic surgical devices to Harlem Hospital’s Eye Clinic. She persuaded her professors to operate on blind patients for free while at Columbia. When asked what led her to her career path, she responded, “My love of humanity and passion for helping others inspired me to become a physician.”
Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett (1986-Present) is a scientist at the National Institutes of Health who is at the forefront of the development and production of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. At the beginning of the pandemic, she was among the few scientists who briefed then-president Donald Trump on the coronavirus. Corbett was born in Hurdle Mills, North Carolina, and grew up in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Dr. Corbett earned her BS in Biological Sciences with a secondary major in Sociology from the University of Maryland in 2008. While earning her BS, she earned the honors of Meyerhoff Scholar and NIH Undergraduate Scholar. She then earned her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014. Upon graduation, she was appointed to the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institutes of Health Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. In addition to her work developing the coronavirus vaccine, she has developed a universal influenza vaccine currently in Phase I clinical trials.
These doctors all have made leaps and bounds in the healthcare community. They have all led by example, inspiring so many black minds. Dr.Smith, Dr.Moore, Dr.Bath and Dr.Kizzmekia have all provided stepping stones in hope that the black youth in america will continue in their path, will also lead by example, and will have the prefix Dr. in front of their names.
Comments