Speaker: Damon Tweedy

Racism - in both overt and subtle forms - continues to be a divisive problem in America. It has social and economic roots and impacts our educational, healthcare, law enforcement, business, and judicial institutions. It has become a contentious and highly emotional issue. And the very presence of discrimination in so many parts of our society undermines our democratic values. The challenge of tackling this pervasive racism problem is huge, difficult, but necessary. It means bringing everyone together to admit where it exists and to implement collaborative solutions.

This lecture will focus on one important aspect of the racism problem - its existence in our healthcare system. The problem will be revealed through the eyes and personal experiences of an African- American doctor in North Carolina, it will include his observations of the relationships between white doctors and black patients, between black doctors and white patients, and his comparisons about the availability and quality of medical care provided to black and white patients. It will also include his experiences at a mostly white medical school and as a Resident, and he will suggest ways to tackle the problem.