Penn Med student highlights the untold stories of Black women in medicine
Jasmine Brown’s book ‘Twice as Hard: The Stories of Black Women Who Fought to Become Physicians, from the Civil War to the 21st Century’ spotlights the experiences of Black women in medicine whose stories often go overlooked.
Brown’s journey to this point began when she became fascinated by neuroscience in high school. “I was amazed by how the brain worked and how it played such a central role in our ability to live and experience the world around us. My passion for neuroscience spurred an interest in a medical career,” she says. In college at Washington University, she explored this interest more, including by volunteering and shadowing in clinical settings. “I felt fulfilled by my ability to use my passions for science and physiology to improve the lives of others.”
Also during her undergrad years, Brown says that she was the target of microaggressions that made her feel at times unwelcome in medical and scientific spaces. Brown’s personal experiences and observations of other Black students led her to want to study racism in the scientific and medical field to better understand why this still happens.
During her research, she found a large book on Black physicians that had over 100 profiles. Fewer than five of the profiles were Black women. She was inspired by the stories of Black women who had overcome so many obstacles and were able to have a great impact in medicine. A few of the women who inspired Brown were Edith Irby Jones, the first Black student of any gender to integrate a southern medical school, and Joycelyn Elders, who was the first Black woman to serve as the U.S. Surgeon General.
Brown had never heard of any of these stories while in school—and they provided a spark of inspiration for her to tell more such stories in a book. “I felt privileged to have had the opportunity to learn about these women while I was at Oxford,” Brown explains. “I wanted young people facing obstacles of their own to be able to learn about these Black women, and to find hope in their stories. It wanted them to see that despite the barriers that they were up against, they could still achieve their dreams and have an incredible impact in society.”
Brown sees several different ways to increase the representation of Black women in medicine. One thing, which she is helping to do through her book, is to raise awareness of the underrepresented minorities who have made an impact and had successful careers in medicine. These people can serve as role models to motivate students to go after their dreams despite some obstacles they may face. She also points out the importance of connecting students with mentors who they can identify with to help them navigate the challenges they may face. Lastly, Brown thinks that higher education institutions can work to create a safe place for students with marginalized identities. If these institutions help provide students with role models and mentors, they can help students from marginalized identities reach their full potential.
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