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Challenges to recruitment and retention of Black forensic pathologists
Ken Obenson1, Nicole R Jackson2, Herbert Mushumba3
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Saint John Regional Hospital, Saint John NB E2L 4L2, Canada.
Background:
Informal estimates place the number of practicing Black forensic pathologists (BFPs) in the United States (US) at somewhere between 35 and 45 which is less than 10% the estimated total of 600. The legacy of medical and institutional racism means that BFPs in the US encounter particular challenges to training and career development that their White peers do not have to contend with.
Methods:
A survey developed on SurveyMonkey in English, was distributed through social media networks and by direct email to known BFPs. Their responses to questions about the challenges they faced in training and as qualified specialists and factors that eased or facilitated their progress were collected and analyzed.
Findings:
BFPs report challenges to recruitment and retention that are like those faced by Black peers in other medical specialties.
Interpretation:
While personal determination is an essential ingredient to career success as a BFP, there are certain structural barriers that must be eliminated to increase the total number of BFPs. The pipeline that produces BFPs must be nurtured, reimagined, and reinvigorated.
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