CHEEER Faculty Member Adam Perzynski, PhD, and Ifeolorunbode (Bode) Adebambo, MD, Interim Chair of the Department of Family Medicine, are the editors of “Racism, Microaggressions, and Allyship in Health Care: A Narrative Approach to Learning” which is a collection of case narratives that explore health equity in healthcare workplaces.
This is the second book that Dr. Adebambo, and Dr. Perzynski, have collaborated on.
“Racism, Microaggressions, and Allyship in Health Care: A Narrative Approach to Learning” provides students and health care professionals an opportunity to learn how they can create a healthier, more egalitarian workplace and be a better ally and coworker.
The book is the culmination of years spent listening to and collecting stories shared by their colleagues. MetroHealth President and CEO Christine Alexander-Rager, MD, is among the nearly 50 contributors – including more than a dozen from MetroHealth – whose personal experiences and strategies are included.
CWRU awarded a small grant to Dr. Adebambo to put together a book proposal. That led to interest from the publisher Springer Nature.
Dr. Adebambo and Dr. Perzynski sent out a request for abstracts from people who wanted to share their story in book chapter form. After winnowing down the number of submissions, they compiled the case narratives.
Through the eyes of doctors, nurses, trainees and other health care workers from Northeast Ohio and across the country, the book examines the different ways in which racism, microaggressions, and allyship manifest in a healthcare environment.
Each of the cases in the book sheds light on how even small negative interactions can be opportunities for learning, growth and improvement. The book also includes a chapter filled with lessons and reflections from the lifelong experiences of several health care executives from racial and ethnic minority groups.
Chapters on “Discrimination,” “Silent Suffering: The Plight of Foreign Doctors in the Workplace,” “Pronouns,” “Identity,” “Patriarchal Culture” and “Team Dynamics” give voice to adverse experiences and include thoughtful questions for reflection from Dr. Adebambo and Dr. Perzynski. Discussions written by Dr Adebambo and several contributors follow each narrative chapter.
“Hearing about the life experiences of others was really impactful and validated some of my own personal experiences.” Dr Adebambo said. “Knowing the power in sharing stories, I felt many would benefit from the narratives in their personal and professional journeys.”
Reviewing the narratives has been an eye-opening exercise, said Dr. Perzynski. “This has been a unique opportunity to turn what had been gut-wrenching, negative events into a positive opportunity.
“Hopefully going forward, far fewer people will have to endure these microaggressions,” he said.
MetroHealth contributors:
- Ifeolorunbode Adebambo, MD
- Christine Alexander, MD
- Christina Antenucci, MD
- Kristen A. Berg, PhD
- Nhi M. Bui, DO
- Aleece Caron, PhD
- Alfred F. Connors Jr, MD
- Jaividhya Dasarathy, MD
- Corrilynn Hileman, MD
- Aphrodite Papadakis, MD
- Adam T. Perzynski, PhD
- Candis Platt-Houston, MD
- Sheerli Ratner, PhD
- Mark Rodney, PA-C
- Chelsea H. Wright, MD