To be Black in medicine

Abstract

I was immediately drawn to the poem, "Invisible (to be black in medicine)" (Becoming a PA, August 2022). I commend P. LaShay Shaw for a poem that visibly outlines the thoughts and feelings of some Black physician associates/ assistants (PAs), but more importantly, Black patients. Although I resonate with the feeling of being dismissed in healthcare as a Black PA, I am reminded that numerous Black patients have felt and continue to feel seen, but not heard by many in healthcare.The author brings the sense of invisibility full circle when she highlights "the moment." Having been a PA for 8 years working at a federally qualifi ed health center in Los Angeles, I have experienced that moment more times than I have felt invisible in medicine. Often, when I walk into the examination room, my Black patients immediately celebrate my presence and thank me for my commitment to serve the community, before addressing the chief complaint. In the examination room, I not only feel visible, I feel valuable. The relief to which the author refers is not only expressed by the patient, but also by Black clinicians, who, in this moment, are reminded of their purpose in medicine. The author describes this moment as "worth it," and I could not agree more.In 2020, the National Commission on Certifi cation of PAs (NCCPA) reported that out of more than 127,000 PAs, only 4,212 or 3.3% identifi ed as Black or African American. 1 This low percentage of Black PAs is frightening and provides insight to Shaw's feelings of being Black in medicine, but it also leaves a lot of room for improvement and growth for the PA profession. Improving diversity within healthcare is essential to open opportunities to underrepresented groups in medicine, reduce healthcare disparities, improve patient outcomes, expand research protocols, and enhance medical education. 2 It is nearly impossible to feel seen when one is not represented in their profession, but as we all work toward increasing the diversity in medicine, we will continue to hang on to those moments.