Thanks for entertaining me and listening to my thoughts today!
And huge shoutout to @WrayCharles for sharing his platform with me. Signing off, but feel free to follow me @Abdi_Abdullahi_
And thank you to the amazing women who started #sharethemicnowmed #trailblazers
In the fight against racism, Black women are often left out of the equation. The officers who killed #BreonnaTaylor in her own home still haven't been charged. #Medtwitter Our outrage should be just as great on her behalf #Sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi_
/10 If medical schools want to increase the diversity of their cohorts, they can’t start with their admissions committees. Their efforts need to go further, by addressing inequities leading up to applying and investing in these communities. #sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi_
/9 Even with FAP, $ of applying can be prohibitive. For 2 interviews, I slept at the airport overnight because I couldn’t afford to book a hotel room. Schools can help by only sending secondaries to students they are actually considering. #sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi_
/8 Cracks in the pipeline have to be identified/addressed. How many URM students decide not to apply because a premed advisor told them they aren't good enough? Schools have to communicate why these students are valued/encourage them to apply #sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi_
/7 A few other students and I founded @BridgingAdmissions to provide free mentorship to URM/1st gen students. Pipeline work like this often falls to Black & Brown students, but we need our medical schools to step up and do this work as well. #sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi_
/6 The SES disadvantage doesn’t stop there. There has been a proliferation of admissions consulting services, which cost up to 10K. These services essentially gift wrap applications, a luxury most Black & Brown students cannot access. #sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi_
/5 The MCAT has shown predictive validity for Step 1/course work but admissions committees have to factor in the widely different circumstances under which students take this exam. Having the highest MCAT averages shouldn’t be celebrated. #sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi_
4/ While these companies offer discounts, how can med schools truly compare a student who can afford these resources and a student who can't? Can something so influenced by inequality be referred to as an objective measure? #sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi_
3/ MCAT prep courses go for over $2,000. Committed to fulfilling my dream of becoming a physician, I asked my family for financial support. My family's annual income is $16,000; they spent 1/8th of their salary that year on test prep material. #sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi_
2/ The literature is clear: URM students perform worse than their White counterparts on the MCAT due to structural racism and SES status. Let me put this into perspective for you. #sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi_ https://tinyurl.com/ydb2zx7d
1/ @pedsmd2b brought up how Blacks + Hispanics make up only 10.8% of the physician workforce and 13.3% of matriculants, despite these communities making up a combined 31.7% of the US population.
How does med admissions play a role in this? #Sharethemicnowmed
@Abdi_Abdullahi_
2/ I reflect on the prospect of a post-racial/colorblind society after President Obama's election. But I now see how that erases my identity & hides the racism Black folks continue to face. Instead, the goal should be a post-racist society #Sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi_
1/ Inspired by Black medical students at UCSF (@jbullockruns @dereckwpaul), I've been working on my writing in order to use it as a tool for advocacy. For the first time a few weeks ago, I published something I wrote https://tinyurl.com/yd5dxgf2 #Sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi_
9/ And speaking up starts with addressing systemic racism in Medicine, from hiring/promotion practices all the way down to how we accept medical students and train them in curriculums that are informed by an anti-racist lens. #Sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi
8/ The framing of racism as a #publichealthissue is important because it highlights neg health outcomes, but this goes beyond medicine. It's a moral/human rights issue, and we can't afford to stay silent or place the burden solely on #BWIM #BMIM #Sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi
7/ So no, I will not be apolitical if that means ignoring the structures that have led to Black folks being devastated by COVID, families/children being held in inhumane conditions, and a healthcare system that values lives based on wealth. #Sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi
6/ I'm thrilled to see #Medicine widely condemn police brutality, but racism isn’t always as blatant as the knee that mercilessly snuffed out George Floyd’s life. We cannot be anti-racist only when it's easy; we must continue to speak up. #Sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi
5/ Inside the crowded basketball court, a gym employee came up to me and essentially claimed I had snuck inside. They did not believe me when I said I was a student and requested to see my ID. For some reason, I didn’t look like a UCSF student. #Sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi
4/ I chose @UCSF for its focus on social justice issues and training students to address health disparities, and I've loved it here. But on my first day on campus, I decided to make myself comfortable by going to the gym to play basketball. #Sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi
3/ My father has tried to coach me through minimizing the chance that I’ll be killed by police officers. “Always keep your hands visible on the steering wheel, ask them for permission to take out your documents, smile and say Yes Sir/Ma’am” #Sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi
2/ But for some of us, this isn’t a switch you turn on/off. During undergrad, I was pulled over at least 4 times by campus police. I was asked why my vehicle smelled like marijuana, when I’ve never smoked. I was asked if my vehicle was stolen. #Sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi
1/ I've been encouraged to be apolitical, lest my political views impact my ability to care for patients. The worry that speaking up about racism/social justice issues will impact residency/job prospects weighs on the minds of all #BMIM #BWIM #Sharethemicnowmed @Abdi_Abdullahi
/1 Hi everyone! This is @Abdi_Abdullahi. I want to start by thanking Dr. Wray for sharing his platform with me. I joined twitter a few months ago to connect with and learn from the #MedTwitter community, and I’m thankful for all of your support #Sharethemicnowmed
3/ Also, in picture above is @UCSF med student @KidaneMD - another rising star here in SF. Both deserve your ear and hope #ShareTheMicNowMed urges further conversation and understanding around #BlackMenInMedicine
1/ I'd like everyone to meet @UCSF med student @Abdi_Abdullahi_ (right). Abdi will be taking over my twitter feed tomorrow, June 26 for #ShareTheMicNowMed where we're giving focus and attention to #BlackMenInMedicine
A preamble for what's to come...
FWIW, the great #ShareTheMicNowMed graphic was put together by @pedsmd2b - who took over @FutureDocs's mic earlier this week. Check her out and give her a follow
This Friday, June 26 Black Men In Medicine will be taking over several #Medtwitter accounts.
Listen in as @UCSF medical student and future leader @Abdi_Abdullahi_ takes over my account for the day.
Please help amplify #ShareTheMicNowMed
I hope you all enjoyed learning from @RFentonMD yesterday as much as I did! It was an honor to #ShareTheMicNowMed with her.
If you have any feedback about #ShareTheMicNowMed, please let us know! 💗
Welcome to my new followers from yesterday’s #ShareTheMicNowMed. I’m an HIV doc from Ghana; reside and see pts in NYC. Passionate about health as a human right, racial equity, and healthcare transformation. Really glad to be connected to you all!
