Reflection On Physician Shortage

According to the AAMC 2015 physician supply and demand reports, we are currently in a physician shortage through 2025.The 2014 reports state there is only 4% blacks or African Americans working as physicians.(www.aamc.org). These statistics are a direct reflection of medical schools matriculants.... Apart from being an African American female from an underserved community, I can also attribute cultural competence to enhance cultural diversity at Wayne State University School Of Medicine.

I was raised in a very diverse city, I have been exposed to people of various cultural and religious backgrounds. My paternal grandparents were immigrants from Martinique who spoke limited english and their culture was very different from the families our neighborhood. Often times due to the language barrier, I assisted them with making bill payments, communicating with phone calls, and while out on trips to the grocery stores, pharmacy, and doctor's offices. I experienced this same responsibility during the summer months, when visiting my maternal grandparents who were southern americans, with only had a junior high school education. Having this background

This awareness is also something I know will help my future patients, and I want to be able to understand them as much as possible. As a result I sought to use my hobbies to gain exposure to different cultures such as learn different languages and travel, when possible. Through grade school and high school learn advanced Spanish and in college I took a course in American sign language. The french and french-creole language I learned in segments during my childhood. Learning new languages has allowed me to help people throughout my life. While working as a pharmacy technician I have encountered patients who are deaf and during routine outings have help spanish/french speaking