Podcast | Practice of Medicine | March 2, 2022

Conversations about Microaggressions for Faculty and Students: A Simulation-Based Approach

Discrimination is often experienced among medical students in clinical settings, especially those who belong to ethnic or gender minority groups, and it can occur in the form of “microaggressions”. In this podcast, Ms. Allison Kumnick and Dr. Julia Belkowitz discuss a simulation-based approach to improve medical students’ resilience and communication, as well as educate faculty members on unintentional discriminatory practices. They also detail what led them to develop their project, the findings of which they and their coauthors present in their upcoming Southern Medical Journal article, “Developing Awareness and Allies: Simulating Difficult Conversations about Microaggressions for Faculty and Students”. 

Earn CME Credit

Julia Belkowitz, MD, MPH
Dr. Belkowitz received her bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Michigan and her medical degree at Jefferson Medical College.  She completed her pediatric internship and residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital, and is currently an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine (UMMSM).  At UMMSM, Dr. Belkowitz serves as the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs.  Dr. Belkowitz also works to raise awareness about the issue of caregiving youth through mentorship of trainees, advocacy and research. 

Allison Kumnick, BA
Allison Kumnick is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She will graduate in May 2022 with her MD and Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. She is pursuing obstetrics and gynecology, and she is passionate about advocating for society’s marginalized groups.

 

References and Resources

  1. Kumnick A, Shah K, Muller C, et al. Developing Awareness and Allies: Simulating Difficult Conversations about Microaggressions for Faculty and Students. South Med J 2022, In Press.
  2. Sue DW, Capodilupo CM, Torino GC, et al. Racial microaggressions in everyday life: implications for clinical practice. Am Psychol. 2007;62(4):271-286.
  3. Acholonu RG, Cook TE, Roswell RO, et al. Interrupting Microaggressions in Health Care Settings: A Guide for Teaching Medical Students. MedEdPORTAL. 2020;16:10969.
  4. Torres MB, Salles A, Cochran A. Recognizing and Reacting to Microaggressions in Medicine and Surgery. JAMA Surgery. 2019;154(9):868-872.
  5. Edgoose J, Brown Speights J, White-Davis T, et al. Teaching About Racism in Medical Education: A Mixed-Method Analysis of a Train-the-Trainer Faculty Development Workshop. Fam Med. 2021;53(1):23-31.
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