MedLuxe Representation Matters Scholarship

Could you take a peek into my future with me? I'm a women's health nurse practitioner, one of the 4% of practicing nurse practitioners in the U.S. who are black. It wasn't an easy road to obtaining advanced degrees and being in a field where people like me are underrepresented, but I attended an HBCU that not only trained me well but instilled an unwavering confidence in my identity. I'm not just treating patients, I'm advocating for them and fighting for their right to receive quality, equitable health care. Every day, I see the impact of racial disparities in maternal mortality rates firsthand. I see the fear in the eyes of Black mothers who are worried about their own health and the health of their babies. I hear their stories of being dismissed and disregarded by other healthcare providers and of not being listened to when they express concerns about their symptoms. Every day, I'm inspired to work hard to achieve better outcomes for my patients. That's why a college education is so important to me. The future I envision for myself is not just about earning a degree or getting a well-paying job – it's about gaining the knowledge and skills I need to make a real difference in the lives of others. As a young Black woman, I've seen many examples of systemic inequality in our society, such as access to education, resources, and opportunities. I aim to use my college education to address these inequalities within healthcare, specifically women's health. Studies have shown that black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women, and black infants are over two times more likely to die in their first year of life than white infants. However, these disparities are reduced when black women and babies are treated by black healthcare providers. My college education can literally save lives. The opportunity to address injustice makes me passionate about pursuing a career in nursing. I won’t allow my community to continue suffering the negative outcomes of a broken healthcare system. I am determined to be part of the solution and to lend my voice and skills to the fight for health equity. Nursing’s emphasis on holistic care and patient advocacy will allow me to create meaningful change. There are many ideas for addressing the problem of health disparities, but I am choosing to help my community improve outcomes by providing culturally competent health care, which means understanding and respecting the diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences of patients. Too often, black patients deal with indifference or discrimination in healthcare settings. In a diverse society, cultural competence is necessary to provide quality care. Culturally competent health care for black mothers and babies is best provided by increasing the number of black doctors, nurses, and other staff who are taking care of them. I plan to continue my education and become one of those providers who provide quality medical care to all people but focus on the unique needs of black mothers and babies, listening to their concerns, treating them with respect, and keeping them alive. Pursuing a career in nursing is not just about achieving personal success or an exciting career—it is about using my skills, knowledge, and passion to improve the health and well-being of my community. I want to be an advocate for those who haven’t been treated well by our healthcare system. I want to work towards a future where every person, regardless of their race or social status, has access to high-quality, respectful healthcare that helps them to live healthy lives.

Growing up and looking for up to par doctors is hard especially being a black American. So many black people are extremely skeptical about doctors. Research has shown black Americans do not trust their healthcare providers and it leads to a less likelihood of being cared for. When black Americans have the same type of sickness as their white peers, blacks are much more likely to die sooner. For example, blacks are three times more likely to die of asthma than white Americans, blacks have a 25 percent higher cancer death rate than whites, and black women are four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. Studies also show that white men are more likely to hold more superior positions in the medical field than black men and white women are more likely to hold more superior positions than black women. Studies suggest diversity in healthcare leadership can enhance the quality of care, quality of life in the workplace, community relations, and the ability to affect community health status. All of these issues are connected to the United States medical history of discriminating, exploiting, and abusing black Americans and having no regard for their rights is a memory that is still embedded into the consciousness of the black community. Historically black bodies were used for medical advancement without approval. Black American's were also forced to participate in dissection or a medical examination and black corpses were taken from their graves and were continuously being used for surgical experiments. Unequal access to healthcare and African Americans feeling ignored are all major issues that need to be addressed and is what I plan to do once I get into the medical field. However, to improve the situation right now everyone can work to become aware of their attitudes towards the black community to reduce bias and negative opinions, educate family, friends, colleagues, and peers about the challenges the black community faces. Nevertheless, my goal is to create a safe and comfortable environment for black patients this is why I plan to go to the Xavier University of Louisana which is the first historically black catholic university it is also the #1 University producing African American doctors. To sum it all up I plan to do my part to change the healthcare system and make it more comforting to black Americans and stop racial discrimination in the healthcare system towards them.