Whiteness in Healthcare and Healthcare Education By: Maria Derbani
This photograph is located on the University of Florida's College of Medicine homepage. Although the emphasis of the photo is on "Education, Research, and Patient Care," the uncanny association of educated individuals such as health care professionals with persons of caucasian descent is clearly demonstrated in this photograph.
The individuals in this photograph represent a small fragment of UF's College of Medicine graduating class of 2016 as well as three resident interns and one overseeing physician at Shand's Hospital. Though at first glance the group of men appear to embody a degree of diversity, upon closer analysis, the physicians portray the whiteness that dominates the healthcare system. Of the seven individuals pictured, five would be considered "white," one individual is half Asian and half American, and the individual we could argue represents diversity within the group is actually half African American and half Caucasian.
Diversity was most evident in regards to individuals holding inferior professional positions compared to the physicians. The vast majority of minority individuals working within hospital were typically nurses, custodians, or transportation personnel.
This plaque, located in the George T. Harrell, M.D. Medical Education Building, boasts proudly at the entrance of UF's newest, state of the art facility. Pictured are only several of the many donors who contributed financially to the research and development of the new medical education building. Donations ranged from $30,000 to well over $4 million dollars. The display features eleven photographs of which nine portray individuals of "white" status while only two photographs portray individuals of minority status.
Similar plaques such as the ones featured above are also distributed throughout the George T. Harrell, M.D. Medical Education Building. Acknowledgement of academic, professional and financial contributions are characteristic of the individuals honored in these plaques. Although pictured are only two of well over thirty plaques located in the building, an overwhelming majority portrayed Caucasian physicians with their Caucasian spouses.
Another demonstration of "whiteness" in the health care education system can be readily found on UF's College of Medicine homepage. Only under the tab directed to the "Office for Diversity and Healthy Equity," is the first depiction of minority status individuals as prospective physicians featured.
Popular culture has emphasized the association of the large coffee chain Starbucks with "white" culture. The overly priced espressos and on-the-go snacks are readily accessible to students within the George T. Harrell, M.D. Medical Education Building. From the products served to affordability, Starbucks is a product of American values and ideology and characterizes whiteness in modern society.
The individuals in this photograph are the resident physician graduating class of 2016. Of the physicians featured above, only two of the ten graduating individuals are African American. The overwhelming majority of white physicians in this group is paralleled throughout the entire healthcare system.