Thank you so much for sharing your experience ! I can't tell you how much it means to me to see a woman who looks like me as a successful practicing PA! I am currently at the end of my didactic year in PA school and I am so happy to have found your page !
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it! Representation is so important! I'm trying to make sure the world knows we are out here saving lives! Best of luck! Clinical year was way better than didactic for me!
Similar experience, but I experience blatant racism on many occasions. I started off as a CNA & currently a Registered Respiratory Therapist. I've been spit on by an older white patient who HATED black people. I'll never forget how I felt. I was only 19, with one child, & needed to make money to take care of my responsibilities. After spitting in my face she called me a f***ing n***er. I was so disgusted & embarrassed. I immediately started crying. I've been called a maid amongst other things. As a Respiratory Therapist it is ALWAYS assumed I'm the CNA or housekeeper. I've even had patients and their families call the white CNA to verify what I stated was accurate. I've had white residents not feel comfortable with my respiratory advice, so I had to go to my white coworker, tell her what therapies I needed for the patient, have her go to the SAME resident, & have it ordered. I worked at a facility that allowed patients to dictate what race provider they wanted. So much unnecessary, disgusting things I've experienced, but in the end it has made me a stronger person & Healthcare provider. Even when I look at the pictures of graduating PA classes, I don't see many people that look like me.
Thank you for watching and girllll...I'm so sorry you experienced this too. I don't think we share enough about the racial trauma we experience as healthcare professionals.....we are way too qualified...but there are so few of us. It is sad.
I’ve had the same experiences as a CNA only difference is I’ve actually experienced racism. Loving your insight on your experience in PA School. I often think there are not that many black PA students because of racism... I feel that some of programs are just making sure they have there token black student so they aren’t viewed negatively... I may be completely wrong but it just my opinion.
Racism, whether subtle or blatant exists for sure. Especially systemic racism. I think one of the big reasons for the low number of Black PA students is that we do not grow up knowing this is an option. We think that the only options are nurse or doctor, at least that was my experience. People cannot strive to be something they never hear of or never see.
I live in Austin,TX and I don't see a lot of black women who are in the healthcare field. When I use to live in Atlanta,GA i saw a lot of black women and black men who are in the healthcare field. It still isn't a lot of us that is in the healthcare field. When I was a CNA working in a nursing home. I didn't see any other CNA's that looked like me. I had white nurses who talked to me any kind of way. I Quit yep. I am taking my pre-reqs at a community college here in Austin,TX and I am the only African-American women who is a health science major. I haven't met anyone else who is a health science major that looks like me. After I become a nurse. I want to relocate where there are more people in the healthcare field who look like me. @Jackie Edwards
Thank you for watching! Truthfully, there are not a lot of minorities in medicine, definitely not reflective of society. I want to encourage you to continue to push through even though this challenge exists. Patients need to see representation. It isn't easy and honestly, even with all my experience and credentials, I still experience some crazy, microaggressions and other not-so-subtle racism.
Peace be to you! Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I've had many similar experiences! 😣I started out as a CNA 30 years ago (got certified in 1990). We can still see carry-over affects of racism in our PA profession. I see VERY few PAs that look like us. Rarely, will I see ANY Blacks in ANY of the PA programs that are not at HBCUs.😩
I agree. We are in the minority, but I want everyone to know we are out here. The racism will not end until the racist stop being racist....and the track record for that in this country is abysmal at best. This week, I had a patient with a big old confederate flag belt.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience ! I can't tell you how much it means to me to see a woman who looks like me as a successful practicing PA! I am currently at the end of my didactic year in PA school and I am so happy to have found your page !
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it! Representation is so important! I'm trying to make sure the world knows we are out here saving lives! Best of luck! Clinical year was way better than didactic for me!
The Nasal cannula question 😂 "Because it's not moving" I would've paid good money to hear that asked out loud
Ha! I think she hated me ever since. It's those type of micro-aggression you have to deal with as you encroach areas where you are the minority.
Similar experience, but I experience blatant racism on many occasions. I started off as a CNA & currently a Registered Respiratory Therapist. I've been spit on by an older white patient who HATED black people. I'll never forget how I felt. I was only 19, with one child, & needed to make money to take care of my responsibilities. After spitting in my face she called me a f***ing n***er. I was so disgusted & embarrassed. I immediately started crying. I've been called a maid amongst other things. As a Respiratory Therapist it is ALWAYS assumed I'm the CNA or housekeeper. I've even had patients and their families call the white CNA to verify what I stated was accurate. I've had white residents not feel comfortable with my respiratory advice, so I had to go to my white coworker, tell her what therapies I needed for the patient, have her go to the SAME resident, & have it ordered. I worked at a facility that allowed patients to dictate what race provider they wanted. So much unnecessary, disgusting things I've experienced, but in the end it has made me a stronger person & Healthcare provider. Even when I look at the pictures of graduating PA classes, I don't see many people that look like me.
Thank you for watching and girllll...I'm so sorry you experienced this too. I don't think we share enough about the racial trauma we experience as healthcare professionals.....we are way too qualified...but there are so few of us. It is sad.
I’ve had the same experiences as a CNA only difference is I’ve actually experienced racism. Loving your insight on your experience in PA School. I often think there are not that many black PA students because of racism... I feel that some of programs are just making sure they have there token black student so they aren’t viewed negatively... I may be completely wrong but it just my opinion.
Racism, whether subtle or blatant exists for sure. Especially systemic racism. I think one of the big reasons for the low number of Black PA students is that we do not grow up knowing this is an option. We think that the only options are nurse or doctor, at least that was my experience. People cannot strive to be something they never hear of or never see.
I live in Austin,TX and I don't see a lot of black women who are in the healthcare field. When I use to live in Atlanta,GA i saw a lot of black women and black men who are in the healthcare field. It still isn't a lot of us that is in the healthcare field. When I was a CNA working in a nursing home. I didn't see any other CNA's that looked like me. I had white nurses who talked to me any kind of way. I Quit yep. I am taking my pre-reqs at a community college here in Austin,TX and I am the only African-American women who is a health science major. I haven't met anyone else who is a health science major that looks like me. After I become a nurse. I want to relocate where there are more people in the healthcare field who look like me. @Jackie Edwards
Thank you for watching! Truthfully, there are not a lot of minorities in medicine, definitely not reflective of society. I want to encourage you to continue to push through even though this challenge exists. Patients need to see representation. It isn't easy and honestly, even with all my experience and credentials, I still experience some crazy, microaggressions and other not-so-subtle racism.
Peace be to you! Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I've had many similar experiences! 😣I started out as a CNA 30 years ago (got certified in 1990). We can still see carry-over affects of racism in our PA profession. I see VERY few PAs that look like us. Rarely, will I see ANY Blacks in ANY of the PA programs that are not at HBCUs.😩
I agree. We are in the minority, but I want everyone to know we are out here. The racism will not end until the racist stop being racist....and the track record for that in this country is abysmal at best. This week, I had a patient with a big old confederate flag belt.
🤣🤣🤣🤣 so true, they very criticizing when they see you so young and been a cna. But they don’t know if cna is used a way to get PCE.
Precisely, cannot judge a book by its cover.