In this episode
Early on in the pandemic, it became clear that COVID-19 was hitting people of color especially hard. In this episode, our guests talk about the lessons they have learned from teaching medical and nursing students at this historical moment, reckoning with moral injury, and overcoming systemic barriers to provide equitable access to medical care, testing and vaccines. What changes are worth keeping for education, community services and health-care systems?
This episode was recorded on September 16, 2021.
Host
Dr. Cheryl Dickson is associate dean for health equity and community affairs at the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine (WMed). She developed the Profession of Medicine course and serves as the course director for the Active-Citizenship service-learning course. She has been the principal investigator for multiple grants, including a Kellogg grant in collaboration with Western Michigan University on forming linkages with community organizations and primary care, a Kalamazoo Foundation grant for transgender curriculum creation, and Pathway programs for students interested in pursuing biomedical science and health careers with funding from the Stryker and Gilmore foundations. She is leader for the safe sleep Infant mortality reduction health equity collaborative Cradle Kalamazoo. She is board-certified in pediatric emergency medicine. She earned her M.D. from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)-New Jersey Medical School. She completed her residency in pediatrics and her fellowship in adolescent medicine at UMDNJ/New Jersey Medical School and Children's Hospital of New Jersey. She earned her master’s degree in health policy and management from Colombia University and is currently completing her master’s degree in health professions education at the University of Illinois Chicago.
Guests
Dr. Elissa Allen is an assistant professor in the School of Nursing at Western Michigan University. Her expertise centers on health care ethics and health disparities, as well as nursing education. Allen conducts investigator-initiated research focused on social determinants of health, including racial disparities, and has partnered with community advisory groups and researchers from the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine to improve maternal-infant health in the Kalamazoo area. Additionally, she has led initiatives at Western Michigan University aimed at building capacity to engage in discussions and issues surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Dr. Martinson Arnan is vice president and chief clinical officer of the Bronson Medical Group. His responsibilities include supporting the development and cascading of system-wide clinical strategy for Bronson. He oversees all provider-related issues, engagement and productivity, as well as an aligned compensation and contracting process. He is also responsible for creating a unified group culture and advancing clinical integration through collaboration with key partners outside of Bronson Medical Group. Dr. Arnan received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He completed both his residency in neurology and a fellowship in vascular neurology at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He holds a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard’s Kennedy school and a master’s degree in clinical and population translation sciences from Wake Forest University.
Dr. Carolyn Whatley is chief medical officer at Kalamazoo Family Health Center Inc. She has more than 18 years of servant leadership experience with an expertise in bringing diverse groups of individuals together, proving oversight and collaboration with different teams. Whatley is skilled at improving quality, efficiency, clinical innovation, and performance improvement. Whatley is a board-certified internist with more than 18 years of direct patient care. After graduating from State University of New York at Stony Brook, she earned her medical degree from Harvard Medical School. She also obtained her master’s in public health from the Harvard School of Public Health with a concentration in health care management. She is currently pursuing her physician executive MBA at the University of Tennessee Knoxville.
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