A Black Physician’s Memoir Looks at the Legacy of Medical Racism in America
Ask students: What influenced Dr. Uché Blackstock's decision to become a physician? Which medical complication(s) did Dr. Blackstock face?
Dr. Uché Blackstock has seen firsthand how medical racism shapes health care in America. She's dedicated her career to work at the intersection of medicine, health equity and systemic racism. Her new memoir, "Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine," details both historic health care inequities and her own family history. She joins John Yang to discuss her work and experiences.
For a transcript of this story, click here.
Discussion Questions
- Who is the author of the memoir "Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine"?
- What influenced Dr. Uché Blackstock's decision to become a physician?
- Which medical complication(s) did Dr. Blackstock face?
- How did Dr. Blackstock's mother die?
- Where did Dr. Blackstock and her twin sister become the first mother-daughter graduates?
Focus Questions
What is "pain inequity" as discussed by Dr. Uché Blackstock? How do you think doctors and hospital staff could better understand the medical concerns of people of different race, language or culture?
Media literacy: Why do you think NewsHour approached this topic through an interview about a book? How else could the NewsHour have produced a story on the same topic?
Extension Activity
Watch this video and answer the following question: How can you recognize and prevent racism in your school and community?
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
PBS NewsHour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of NewsHour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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