Interesting study in the Sacbee

[DBCooper]

Top Stories - Study: Minority doctors scarce in California - sacbee.com

The statement,
"Ethnic physicians are vital to the health of California, as they often care for the most vulnerable patients and are able to provide the most culturally competent care in this very diverse state," said Dr. Satinder Swaroop, who chairs the Network of Ethnic Physician Organizations, a group developed by the California Medical Association Foundation.

struck me as odd and balkanized as if only blacks and Latinos can properly care for people of the same ethnicity. Havent we grown beyond this in our society? What exactly does culturally competent care mean?

[Wilbur]

Right or wrong, people with a strong ethnic identity will often be more trusting and disclosive with "one of their own." One could view this as nonwhite "racism" but just as is done in the other direction the term is overused. The reality is that often these people are better served as to the immediate issue at hand - in this case health care, in my own situation legal services - by recognizing the reality of the ethnic divide and working with it, and putting aside for the moment the sadness that that divide still exists.

[Matthew]

That is odd. I trust my doctors based on their past performance, experience, and education.

[Wilbur]

You probably haven't had the experience of perceiving yourself as an outsider nor a member of the underclass.

[Matthew]

Originally Posted by Wilbur

You probably haven't had the experience of perceiving yourself as an outsider nor a member of the underclass.

This is true, but in the case of doctors I normally see a doctor who is originally from India. I have no problem disclosing whatever my particular ailment is.

Last time I went to see him for an infected finger he told me it was less painful to cut into my finger without numbing it. He said the shot was more painful in a finger. I trusted him and let him cut away and ethnicity never entered my mind.

[Birdieman]

It's hard for people to see or understand race related issues and problems when the race you are is white. Not a bad thing, it just makes you lacking of the critical knowledge as to why some ethnic people make some of the choices or decisions they make. We all think differently, and yes, some of that has to do with your race and background.

[DBCooper]

Absolutely true just as being a white southerner many people judge every decision made as if it were 1865. Having lived in areas where I was the minority it offered a unique view as to the similarities that people in the majority exercise. The race card is no less prevelant when the demographics are inverted. The concept of cultural competency escapes me though as the person quoted was neither black nor Latino.

[Matthew]

Originally Posted by birdieman

It's hard for people to see or understand race related issues and problems when the race you are is white. Not a bad thing, it just makes you lacking of the critical knowledge as to why some ethnic people make some of the choices or decisions they make. We all think differently, and yes, some of that has to do with your race and background.

Why would it only pertain to people that are not white? That sounds racist. Would that logic not apply anytime you are not in the majority?

[Birdieman]

I think the short article is misleading as to the number of ethnic doctors overall. The Sac Bee is notorious at slanting articles to represent a certain view. This article mainly addresses only the Latino and African American numbers. But if any of you are Kaiser members you would know they seem to have plenty of ethnic doctors.

[Birdieman]

Originally Posted by Matthew

Why would it only pertain to people that are not white? That sounds racist. Would that logic not apply anytime you are not in the majority?

How many istances of racism have you encountered in you life because you are white? How many times has someone crossed the street and walked on the other side because you were walking towards them? How many times were you looked at with a weary eye shopping at a store because the shop keeper thought you might steal something? When people look at you do they think you mow lawns for a living? I think you've missed my point, it's not about being in the minority but about being a minority race. Whether people care to see it or not, life is different if you're not white. We could argue this all day, but if you haven't lived as a minority you can't see the other side no matter how hard you try to relate.