Leaders of the UAB SNMA Chapter: Justin Lewis, Brantley Judah, Sami Ashley, Ashley Pettaway and Marshall Pritchett III. Racial equality in the medical professions was an aspiration of the Student National Medical Association at its founding in 1964 as the Civil Rights Movement sprang into life throughout the United States. Now, in 2016, that aspiration has become an imperative: racial equality, cultural competence and overcoming implicit bias in the practice of medicine is essential if tomorrow’s doctors are to effectively navigate new health terrains and serve as capable, caring physicians. The Student National Medical Association works on a national front to make this goal a reality. At the UAB School of Medicine, medical students run a chapter of SNMA dedicated to pursuing the same goals on a local and state level.
“The main goal of the (SNMA) is to increase awareness of diversity and inclusion in medicine, to celebrate cultural diversity, and to contribute to developing culturally competent medical students and future physicians,” says Justin Lewis, SNMA Chapter president. “We also are dedicated to community outreach, and to using our resources to impact the community in a positive way.”
The UAB School of Medicine Chapter of SNMA is led by five, second-year medical students: Justin Lewis, president; Brantley Judah, vice president; Sami Ashley, treasurer; Ashley Pettaway, secretary, and Marshall Pritchett III, community outreach leader. Their efforts are facilitated by Marquita Hicks, M.D., who has served as the faculty advisor to the SNMA since 2009.
The SNMA’s hallmark event takes place on Feb. 6 with the 12th annual Integrative Health Care Summit. This summit draws in high school and college students throughout Alabama, and features representatives from a multitude of health professions, including (but not limited to): dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, pharmacy and public health.
“We represent any health care field a student might want to go into,” Judah said. The summit is open to all students in either high school or college who are considering a career in health.
In addition to exposing and informing students about health professions, the summit is an opportunity to educate aspiring medical professionals about important personal issues. “Especially with high school students,” Judah says, “we try to make them aware of social media concerns, and how to become leaders. We try to teach them about the admissions process and about how to be a competitive student. We are trying to develop culturally aware health professionals.”
Apart from the yearly health summit, the SNMA offers support and stimulates open dialogue about diversity with medical students at UAB. The SNMA also engages the community near UAB through health fairs. These health fairs are organized at locations throughout the area, including churches and one fair at Western Hills Mall.
Although the UAB Chapter of the SNMA has only 15 paid members, their lunch events often draw crowds of 50 or more, and health fairs and the annual health summit bring in a wide range of engaged participants. In addition to reliance on their faculty sponsor Dr. Hicks, the SNMA interfaces with the Office for Diversity and Multicultural Affairs to ensure their efforts are targeted and coordinated.
“A big factor in choosing medical schools for me was the diversity office,” Pettaway said. “It meant a lot to me to know that this school was aware that we have diversity issues that we need to address.”
| “The main goal of the (SNMA) is to increase awareness of diversity and inclusion in medicine, to celebrate cultural diversity, and to contribute to developing culturally competent medical students and future physicians. We also are dedicated to community outreach, and to using our resources to impact the community in a positive way.” |
Pritchett described the conference as a transformative experience that caused him to directly engage questions of cultural competence. He says it gave him a renewed desire to help educate students who would follow in his footsteps.
“We were in that position once,” he said. “So we know how it felt to want to be a doctor or a dentist or pharmacist. We now have the opportunity and the resources to help those who are coming behind us to reach their goals. I think that would be our biggest accomplishment, along with reaching out to the community.”
The SNMA leadership emphasizes that diversity is about more than just race – it encompasses differences in economics, upbringing, gender, age and a multitude of other dynamics. “Diversity is a multi-factoral concept – it encompasses your background, your personal experience, and so forth,” Lewis said.
Because of this, membership for the SNMA is open to all students. “Everyone is welcome,” Pettaway says. “No matter what field you want to go into, this is an organization that can help you be a better you.”
President Justin Lewis agrees. “I think that in some way, hopefully what we’re doing now, and what the medical school is seeking to do, will continue to grow and be an integrated part of the curriculum in terms of understanding cultural awareness and how that impacts our ability to be capable, competent, exceptional physicians.”