Black Women in Medicine

Black Women in Medicine is organized by Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS).

Original Release Date: January 12, 2022
Termination Date: January 12, 2025

Course Overview:
Presented by the Massachusetts Medical Society and its Committee on Diversity in Medicine

This multi-module course can be taken over time and does not have to be completed in one session.~

Increasing workplace diversity has been positively linked to improved productivity and patient outcomes. Black women make up 2 percent of physicians and 2 percent of academic medical faculty. Even fewer are in senior leadership positions in health care. Retention and promotion of Black women in medicine and health care are lacking due to a variety of reasons such as lack of support and community, micro- and macroaggressions, and lack of consideration or opportunity for promotion or advancement. The Black Women in Medicine conference, recorded on November 3, 2021, convened leaders in medicine, public health, and policy to celebrate Black women in medicine, discussed strategies for building stronger bonds between Black women and other women in medicine and health, and foster meaningful connections that empower individuals and their communities to realize their professional goals in spite of systemic frameworks that have traditionally served as barriers to achievement. This online activity explores how politics, advocacy, and leadership play a role in supporting and empowering physicians, trainees, and medical students of color who contend with embedded structural racism in the workplace and beyond.

Course Objectives:

• Engage, support, and network with colleagues, a diverse group of supporters, allies, and social justice disrupters.
• Discuss strategies for building stronger bonds between Black Women and other women in medicine and health.
• Create a safe space for Black Women Physicians and Physicians in Training to openly and honestly discuss the unique challenges that they face because of their intersectional identities in career advancement and attaining leadership positions.
• Apply evidence-based and practical advice, tools, and skills to help overcome some of these challenges.
• Build a foundation for opportunities for short- and long-term mentorship, sponsorship, and allyship.