UCSF

Tackle systemic racism to diversify health care and clinical research

Gian Carlo Baldonado — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 16:53:38 +0000

Tackle systemic racism to diversify health care and clinical research

Author: Virginia Gewin

November 25, 2022

Photo Credit: Susan Merrell

Solving structural-racism problems in health will require everyone, from community members to heads of university departments, to be engaged.

Decolonizing science

Science is steeped in injustice and exploitation. Scientific insights from marginalized people have been erased, natural-history specimens have been taken without consent and genetics data have been manipulated to back eugenics movements. Without acknowledgement and redress of this legacy, many people from minority ethnic groups have little trust in science and certainly don’t feel welcome in academia — an ongoing barrier to the levels of diversity that many universities claim to pursue.

In the next of a short series of articles about decolonizing the biosciences, Tung Nguyen, who was appointed associate vice-chancellor for research inclusion, diversity, equity and anti-racism at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in September, offers advice for reforms in health research. Nguyen, a health-equity researcher who is also the director of the UCSF Asian American Research Center on Health, says anti-racism efforts start with engaging underserved communities and nurturing diverse trainees in health research and health care.

I studied medicine because I didn’t see health care and health research addressing the needs of the Asian community in the San Francisco Bay area — the part of California where I moved, as an 11-year-old non-English speaker, when my family emigrated from Vietnam. For the past 20 years, I’ve been doing health-equity research, focusing on cancer interventions.

In this country, the health-research world has many aspects that are anti-Asian. A lack of data on one racial identity is always a sign of racism because it essentially means that a portion of the population is invisible. For example, we know that about one-third to one-half of Asian Americans don’t speak English well enough to take a medical survey conducted in English. The ‘Asian’ responses to such a survey will include only English speakers; in addition, all of the ‘Asian’ respondents will be lumped together, despite the diversity of Asian cultures.

Lack of urgency

Although some institutions are trying to hire diverse candidates, there is a fundamental lack of urgency when it comes to addressing systemic racism. The issues I’ve mentioned are all structural problems. I think that there can be no systematic change without engaging everyone involved — from medical-department heads to members of the communities that institutions purportedly serve.

In 2020, my colleagues and I created an anti-racism task force at the University of California, San Francisco. Using a community-engagement approach, we convened a committee of 25 members, including institutional and community leaders, staff, faculty members and trainees. Over the course of a year, we solicited information throughout the university and produced a report with 160 recommendations — ranging from funding for research that investigates the structures that sustain racism, to conducting more community engagement in scholarship.

Most institutions are too top-down. I’ve learnt that the academic hierarchy is a basic challenge to doing equity work on campuses. White men tend to be over-represented among faculty members, whereas non-faculty staff members tend to include more women and under-represented minority groups. We make sure the staff and faculty members meet and are mindful of — and acknowledge — the power dynamics that exist. Otherwise, our efforts wouldn’t be inclusive.

To better diversify recruitment of study participants, in 2021, my colleagues and I created the Research Action Group for Equity, or RAGE — an acronym we deliberately chose because we are angry about the lack of minority-health data and participation, and we want to make things uncomfortable for the powers that be. RAGE works with the UCSF Clinical & Translational Science Institute to make sure that recruitment is an inclusive process. We engage community leaders who are bicultural or bilingual to provide translation support or address cultural concerns.

Decolonizing science toolkit

If my colleagues and I can diversify the health-care workforce at UCSF, we can definitely improve the economic status of diverse communities as well as the reach of biomedical research into those communities. We have a US National Institutes of Health BUILD award to address the lack of diversity among biomedical researchers. If you want minority students and trainees, you have got to go to where they are. In our case, we recruited trainees from San Francisco State University, a Hispanic-focused, minority-serving institution. We trained these junior research and health professionals to become, for example, clinical research coordinators to manage studies and conduct experiments.

This expands the job opportunities available to these trainees and diversifies participation in research. But when people talk about efforts to increase the numbers of early-career scholars from diverse backgrounds, I hate the term ‘pipeline programme’. ‘Pipeline’ implies that you have to fit into a pipeline to begin with and you come out the other end, where the system wants you to come out. Furthermore, if the pipeline is producing a steady stream of talented PhDs from under-represented communities but the system does not increase the number of senior roles these people hold, it’s not a pipeline problem. Instead, it’s a dam problem — pun intended; there are structural barriers to workplace diversity that need to be removed.

UCSF has its own continuing challenges in terms of anti-racism efforts, but the institution has been transparent. It has a dashboard that highlights racial, ethnic and gender diversity among faculty members, staff and trainees. The situation fluctuates, and the numbers have never been great for typically under-represented groups in medicine, such as Black and Hispanic people. But it’s important that the problem be visible so that we can actually improve.

It’s frustrating that successful diversity, equity and inclusivity programmes often don’t get sustained. Under-represented groups are used to people coming in with money and then leaving. I have helped to develop the AEIOU principles, which will be the foundation of my work as the newly appointed associate vice-chancellor for research inclusion, diversity, equity and anti-racism. A is for accountability and anti-racism, E is for engagement, I is for individual-centred institutional change, O is opportunity, and U is unity. These principles are key to making progress against racism. The system has to change for under-represented groups to be successful, and that requires an increase in opportunities. Oppressive structures maintain oppression by making people perceive a zero-sum game — if someone wins, someone else has to lose. To increase diversity, equity and justice, we need to quit pitting one group against another.

Read this article in Nature.com

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UCSF Latinx Center of Excellence Aspiring Physicians Program (APP) Info Session

Gian Carlo Baldonado — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 00:02:02 +0000

Monday, November 14, 2022

05:00 p.m. - 06:00 p.m. PT

Zoom

Yoselin.GonzalezCastillo@ucsf.edu

Overview

Register for the event here.

Join us for our 1st Info Session to learn about our Aspiring Physicians Program (APP)!

2022 Summer Program Overview

LCOE APP is a pre-medical program that supports and prepares underrepresented in medicine (UIM) Latinx and African American students at SFSU who wish to pursue a medical career.

Our intensive 6-week summer program includes a stipend, mentorship, and a variety of workshops. Students will gain exposure to:

Preparation for Medical School Application
Introductory MCAT Preparation
Health policy & Research-based fact sheets
Local Community-Based Organizations (CBOs)
Guest speakers, medical school panelists & much more!

Questions? Contact Program Coordinator: Madison.Rodriguez@ucsf.edu

Summer 2023 Program Dates: June 5 - July 14

Important Links

SFSU Application 2022 - CLICK HERE
Info Session #1 - Zoom Recording: CLICK HERE
Learn more about LCOE APP.

LCOE Flyer Final.pdf116.01 KB

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UCSF

UCSF-SACNAS and BUILDing Bridges: Graduate Application Workshop Series Part I: Personal Statement

Gian Carlo Baldonado — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 21:14:10 +0000

Wednesday, November 02, 2022

02:00 p.m. - 04:00 p.m. PT

UCSF

Overview

In collaboration with SACNAS-UCSF, we will be working on writing the personal statement, a very important component of the graduate school application process that highlights your academic preparation, research, and life experiences that are relevant to the school or program of choice.

Limited spots are available. Food will be provided.

***Attendance to all 3 workshops is required as the event is designed to flow one workshop after the other.***

Dates and Location

Workshop 1: November 2, 2-4pm, Byers Hall 212 @ Mission Bay Campus
Workshop 2: November 16, 2-4pm, Mission Hall 1406 @ Mission Bay Campus
Workshop 3: November 30, 2-4pm, Mission Hall 1406 @ Mission Bay Campus

RSVP link: bit.ly/sacnasbuild_gradworkshop_pt1

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Women in Leadership Panel Event-Virtual Event

Gian Carlo Baldonado — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 21:09:36 +0000

Wednesday, October 12, 2022

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. PT

https://app.brazenconnect.com/app/A/UCSF-HEALTH/E/Q8J9BCZ

Overview

Wednesday, October 12^th from 11am – 12pm PST

Join the UCSF Talent Acquisition Women in Leadership team for an engaging conversation At The Table.

The panelists will discuss topics such as imposter syndrome, being resourceful and resilient, overcoming biases, embracing vulnerability, and what it feels like to be a leader in an elite environment that encourages you to bring your best most authentic self to the role.

Join us for this inspirational discussion led by Jessica Blair-Dressler, Associate Director, Talent Acquisition Campus and Health.

Empowerment
Pursuit of your Dreams
Obstacles that transform into Opportunities for Excellence

Panel speakers include:

Judie Boehmer, Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer

Nancy Duranteau, Director & Chief Learning Officer

Lourdes Moldre, Patient Care Director

Alleysha Mullen, Leadership & Development Consultant

Gita Patel, Director for Surgical Specialties

Jane Wong, Vice President of IT

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