Impaired black physicians: a methodology for detection and rehabilitation

The author contends that the great majority of black physicians lead happy and productive lives. Regrettably, black physicians must not only cope with stress related to marriage, finances, parenting, and other daily problems, but they must also cope with institutional racism. Consequently, some black physicians become impaired. This article discusses issues related to the problem of impairment in black physicians and suggests a methodology for detection and rehabilitation. It is the author's belief that future intervention should be culturally compatible and that black physicians themselves must bolster the effort to prevent impairment. At an empirical level, the author brings together the sparse amount of epidemiological and cultural data related to the subject.