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Racism Towards Black PAs


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Hello everyone.  I am going back to school for another bachelor's because I think that's probably easier than getting into a PA master's program.  I'm a little apprehensive about this decision because I've read studies that suggest that some non-black Americans ask for non-black health care providers when they're at the hospital.  

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2771235/

 

Are there any black PAs out there that have had this experience?  Are there any non-black PAs out there that have witnessed this type of behavior from patients?  

 

Thank you.  I hope I didn't offend anyone.

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I strongly suggest Masters over a second Bachelor's unless there are really compelling reasons.

 

I believe your question boils down to "are there racist a-holes," and yes is the answer, but so what? Depending on what specialty you're in and in what setting, patients may or may not even have the opportunity to make a choice. I'm in a liberal Northern state, so our racists tend to be quiet about it, so my never having witnessed anything doesn't mean a lot. Still, depending on where you work and who you work for, it's possible you will never have to see any patient you're uncomfortable with, and/or their choice might be to see you, or go someplace else. I can't imagine hesitating about a potential career choice for this reason.

 

And you need to shadow a bunch of working PAs so you can get a feel for how their workday goes, as well as ask about stuff like this. The Internet is only so useful for these things.

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Just so you know I've spoken to quite a few programs which offer bachelors and they say it is more competitive than getting into a masters simply because there are less bachelors programs. So I wouldn't necessarily cross off masters due to the difficulty of getting in.

Honestly gaining acceptance to ANY PA program is a very arduous process which doesn't really offer an "easier" route! Best of luck on which ever route you take!

 

 

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Hello everyone.  I am going back to school for another bachelor's because I think that's probably easier than getting into a PA master's program.  I'm a little apprehensive about this decision because I've read studies that suggest that some non-black Americans ask for non-black health care providers when they're at the hospital.  

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2771235/

 

Are there any black PAs out there that have had this experience?  Are there any non-black PAs out there that have witnessed this type of behavior from patients?  

 

Thank you.  I hope I didn't offend anyone.

why are you race baiting? patients have the right to choose whom they want without the need for explaination. that includes md over PA, male over female, young over old, straight over gay, energetic over tired, fat over thin, short over tall, ect. ect. should we just force patients to see whom is chosen for them? are you aware that "providers" also have the right to turn patients away at their discretion.

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Here's an idea. Choose to work for only minority supervising physicians. "Sure you can see someone else..." And as a white person working in a very diverse area, I've had patients respond better to a nonwhite provider. Doesn't bother me at all if it makes the patient feel more comfortable and tell us what we need to know.

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why are you race baiting? patients have the right to choose whom they want without the need for explaination. that includes md over PA, male over female, young over old, straight over gay, energetic over tired, fat over thin, short over tall, ect. ect. should we just force patients to see whom is chosen for them? are you aware that "providers" also have the right to turn patients away at their discretion.

 

Whoa man. I don't think you really understood the OPs question or concern. I'm pretty sure he understands how this works and he was just asking for an opinion of what it's like to be a minority within a field that's predominately white. Specifically a black male., "Race baiting" ? Really? lol. Geez. 

 

I'm a hispanic male and sometimes at work I get the "can you have a female clean me up instead of a male?" Totally understandable. The patient may have a hx of abuse with males or some other type of apprehension when it comes to males viewing their privates. However, this does not happen to frequently. Even less frequent is the next scenario. I have had the occasional patient (occasional meaning one time) who has complained about a couple that were their roommates during their hospital stay. They were pretty blatantly racist in their request to be switched to a private room and "joking" with ME about their roommates racial background. It was pretty disgusting and extremely uncomfortable as I am clearly a minority of another group. These cases are rare and again don't let your race inhibit your future career aspirations. Best of luck. 

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I wouldn't let the chances of a patient preferring a non-black healthcare provider keep you from pursuing your goal. I do PET scans primarily and most often I'm the ONLY technologist working. The patient doesn't really have much of a choice. I've been doing this job in northwest Florida for over 10 years now. Sometimes I get the feeling that a patient thinks they may get better quality care from someone who isn't me, but I treat everyone the same, and I hope that when they leave my department they feel they couldn't have received better care! I have to just let it roll off, but sometimes patients will actually tell me that I did a good job... like they are surprised! Well of course I did! I'm good at what I do and I've been doing it for awhile! Give them a little assistance in changing their silly stereotypes!

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I agree. Look at it as an opportunity to shine. I have been to the ER a couple of times as a patient and I can tell you that I wouldn't have cared if the person was purple or blue as long as they solved my problem. Not to oversimplify it but really there are plenty of patients (probably waiting in the next room) who would be glad to have you care for them!

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Let it be your opportunity to assist in change!

 

As a black female PA, I've only had one slight encounter in the 3 years I have been working. We had a pharm rep come in asking for the PA on duty. When I told him (an older white male) it was me his response was, "Oh, YOU! Really? I thought your were a medical assistant!" And he laughed.  Granted I did not have on my white coat, I was dressed in business attire. I couldn't really entertain much of his conversation after that. Overall, I've had great experiences from all across the rainbow!

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Let it be your opportunity to assist in change!

 

As a black female PA, I've only had one slight encounter in the 3 years I have been working. We had a pharm rep come in asking for the PA on duty. When I told him (an older white male) it was me his response was, "Oh, YOU! Really? I thought your were a medical assistant!" And he laughed. Granted I did not have on my white coat, I was dressed in business attire. I couldn't really entertain much of his conversation after that. Overall, I've had great experiences from all across the rainbow!

How was this pharm rep being racist?

 

I mistook a white doctor as a nurse one time, because he looked really young, and was in same color scrubs as the nurses.

 

 

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Corpsman2PA, on 15 Dec 2014 - 11:02 PM, said:

How was this pharm rep being racist?

 

I mistook a white doctor as a nurse one time, because he looked really young, and was in same color scrubs as the nurses.

 

 

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I didn't say he was being racist. I said it was a slight encounter. My point was, even though I was dressed in business attire I was still mistaken for as something for less than my position. If I had on scrubs I totally get it.

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I didn't say he was being racist. I said it was a slight encounter. My point was, even though I was dressed in business attire I was still mistaken for as something for less than my position. If I had on scrubs I totally get it.

 

My first thought was maybe you look young. I know I look like a teenager so people never thing I'm a PA, but maybe I'm being naive lol. Once I introduce myself as a PA I will answer to nurse, doctor, miss, I stopped caring very early on, just want to get my job done. Vast majority of the time time people assume i'm a nurse because I'm a young black female.  I haven't encountered any blunt racism personally but I think more age discrimination but maybe I'm mistaking one for another, who knows. My personal thoughts on racism is that if somebody doesn't want to be seen by me for any reason other than my ineptitude, who cares, let them see somebody else. You can't change ignorant people's minds overnight.

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This is a side-bar question to this discussion.  I am a straight-WASP (for those who were born before 1980 who know what a WASP means). So, I'm not in the position of really know the pain of discrimination first hand based on the usual parameters. I've seen it and I hate it (I'm from the south were racism still flourishes).

 

So my question is this. For those who are part of a minority, do you see any similarities to the discrimination that PAs as a group face as to racial or other discrimination?  I ask this because, as a business owner, I faced rather constant discrimination, worse in the beginning than now. Wells Fargo refused me a loan when they found out I was a PA. Several businesses had refused to do business with me and the list could go on and on. I've been part of the American Headache Society for 33 years, yet I'm not allowed to be a member. When they have member business meetings I am literally escorted to the door and kicked out by the serjeant-at-arms. It is humiliating. So I could be a speaker but then I'm thrown out on my rear when the business part of the meeting begins.

 

My office manager ( who has been shocked by the discrimination ) refers to me as the old, black, fat, lesbian (but I'm a guy) living in Birmingham i the 1940s.  Yet, I admit that this may be very differ than what someone of a minority may face.

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This is a side-bar question to this discussion.  I am a straight-WASP (for those who were born before 1980 who know what a WASP means). So, I'm not in the position of really know the pain of discrimination first hand based on the usual parameters. I've seen it and I hate it (I'm from the south were racism still flourishes).

 

So my question is this. For those who are part of a minority, do you see any similarities to the discrimination that PAs as a group face as to racial or other discrimination?  I ask this because, as a business owner, I faced rather constant discrimination, worse in the beginning than now. Wells Fargo refused me a loan when they found out I was a PA. Several businesses had refused to do business with me and the list could go on and on. I've been part of the American Headache Society for 33 years, yet I'm not allowed to be a member. When they have member business meetings I am literally escorted to the door and kicked out by the serjeant-at-arms. It is humiliating. So I could be a speaker but then I'm thrown out on my rear when the business part of the meeting begins.

 

My office manager ( who has been shocked by the discrimination ) refers to me as the old, black, fat, lesbian (but I'm a guy) living in Birmingham i the 1940s.  Yet, I admit that this may be very differ than what someone of a minority may face.

IMHO yes and your office manager is very perceptive.

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This is a side-bar question to this discussion. I am a straight-WASP (for those who were born before 1980 who know what a WASP means). So, I'm not in the position of really know the pain of discrimination first hand based on the usual parameters. I've seen it and I hate it (I'm from the south were racism still flourishes).

 

So my question is this. For those who are part of a minority, do you see any similarities to the discrimination that PAs as a group face as to racial or other discrimination? I ask this because, as a business owner, I faced rather constant discrimination, worse in the beginning than now. Wells Fargo refused me a loan when they found out I was a PA. Several businesses had refused to do business with me and the list could go on and on. I've been part of the American Headache Society for 33 years, yet I'm not allowed to be a member. When they have member business meetings I am literally escorted to the door and kicked out by the serjeant-at-arms. It is humiliating. So I could be a speaker but then I'm thrown out on my rear when the business part of the meeting begins.

 

My office manager ( who has been shocked by the discrimination ) refers to me as the old, black, fat, lesbian (but I'm a guy) living in Birmingham i the 1940s. Yet, I admit that this may be very differ than what someone of a minority may face.

Hey! I was born after '80 and know what a WASP is ;) granted not long after

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Corpsman2PA, on 16 Dec 2014 - 9:10 PM, said:

My fault. Being that the thread was titled "racism towards black PAs" and you mentioned your race, the slight encounter and race of the white pharm rep, I made a wrong conclusion.

 

 

 

 

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It wasn't overt but the undertones were there. No worries though.

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I am Black and Mexican, and work in Utah. No problems with racism in the clinics, in school, or really ever. Sure, there were some incidents that may have gotten some people's knickers in a twist, but it didn't bother me. I was treated way worse for simply being American when I lived in South Korea and the Middle East, than I was for being Black and/or Mexican in the US. So in regards to patients, I did not come to them for help. If someone's a racist, that is their problem, not mine.

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I can't say for sure, but when I got hired for my first assistant job a few weeks ago (credentialing still), my mom who is an RN said she was told that I need to be very careful (read perfect) because black first assistants aren't treated very well in the OR. I guess we'll see, any insights?

From my experience, I see being treated worse due to being a women vs a man in healthcare. Women ≠ nurse all the time. Horrible

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