Health equity demands rethink on education, professionalism

In the second of a two-part thematic focus on health equity, the March issue of AMA Journal of Ethics^® (@JournalofEthics) focuses specifically on racial and ethnic inequity in morbidity, mortality and access to services that are endemic to American life. It also gives you an opportunity to earn CME credit.

Articles include:

1. Integrating health equity content Into health professions education

   Failure to robustly integrate health equity content into health professions curricula leads to student frustration and missed opportunities.

2. How should health professionalism be redefined to address health equity?

   1. The opioid crisis, maternal death, and COVID-19 underscore trust as foundational to public health and call for redefinition of what it means to be a U.S. clinician.

3. Piloting and scaling a good health equity evidence base from big data

   One health system’s development and validation of inequity measures across patient groups demonstrates an approach that could be nationally scalable.

4. Can Indian Health Service referrals for nonemergent care be allocated equitably? 

   Injustice is endemic to IHS operations when its stewards are forced to defer payment for patients’ nonemergent care.

Learn more about what physicians can do about racial and ethnic health inequities.

In the journal’s March podcast, LaShyra Nolen—a second-year medical student and the first Black woman to serve as Harvard Medical School’s student council president—discusses health equity, community engagement and the future of health professional school curricular design.

Listen to previous episodes of the podcast, “Ethics Talk,” or subscribe in iTunes or other services.

These AMA Journal of Ethics CME modules are each designated by the AMA for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™:

• Making merit just in medical school admissions
• How should health professionalism be redefined to address health equity?
• Health equity, cuban style
• Piloting and scaling a good health equity evidence base from big data

Additionally, the CME module, “Ethics talk: Health professions students and the future of health equity,” is designated by the AMA for a maximum of 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.

The offering is part of the AMA Ed Hub™, an online learning platform that brings together high-quality CME, maintenance of certification, and educational content—in one place—with relevant learning activities, automated credit tracking and reporting for some states and specialty boards.

The journal’s editorial focus is on commentaries and articles that offer practical advice and insights for medical students and physicians. Submit a manuscript for publication. The journal also invites original photographs, graphics, cartoons, drawings and paintings that explore the ethical dimensions of health or health care.

Upcoming issues of the AMA Journal of Ethics will focus on compassionate uses of force as well as ending the HIV epidemic. Sign up to receive email alerts when new issues are published.