Article
Responsibility for Structural Racism in Medicine: Reflections and Recommendations from One Institution
Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics: A Journal of Qualitative Research
(2021)
Abstract
In this article, we draw upon recent ethical arguments by Zheng and Young to explain our experience
applying the social connection model of responsibility to structural racism in medicine. We propose that taking
responsibility for structural racism must begin with acknowledging, studying, and learning from localized,
particular instances of racism. Such practices raise personal and institutional consciousness about racism and
injustice, creating a knowledge base from which effective action is possible. We describe our experiences
engaging with responsibility for structural racism as a small group of scholars dedicated to learning more about
our institution’s history and our own agency in altering its future trajectory. Our learning and introspection
were developed over multiple sessions in the 2019–2020 academic year when the authors participated in a
Medical Ethics Forum Fellowship.
The Medical Ethics Forum Fellowship (the Forum) of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) is
composed of a diverse group of interdisciplinary faculty members, students, and practicing health professionals.
The precise membership of the group changes every year, with a number of members continuing for multiple
years. Each academic year the Forum focuses on a specific bioethical issue of current interest. Our focus for
the academic year 2019–2020 was race and ethnicity in 21st century health care. This paper is the result of
our year-long deliberations based on study of the relevant literature, monthly
Keywords
- Racism,
- Medical Ethics,
- Health Care,
- Injustice,
- Responsibility,
- Medical Education,
- Interdisciplinary
Disciplines
Publication Date
Spring 2021
Citation Information
Nancy L Zisk. "Responsibility for Structural Racism in Medicine: Reflections and Recommendations from One Institution" Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics: A Journal of Qualitative Research Vol. 11 Iss. 2 (2021) ISSN: 2157-1740; 2157-1732 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/nancy_zisk/26/