The Wayne State University School of Medicine community will examine issues of racism, discrimination and health inequities during Diversity Week, beginning with the Racism in Medicine and Detroit Summit on Oct. 5.

Planned and hosted by members of the school’s Learning Communities, the Black Medical Association, and the Institutional Justice and Inclusion External Senate Committee, organizers said they designed the summit and the week’s events to be beneficial for all students with all areas of expertise.

Those organizers include members of the school’s Racism in Medicine and Detroit Summit and Diversity Week Task Force, Sara Saymuah, Capricia Bell, Suma Alzouhayli, Manvir Sandhu, Ashleigh Peoples and Ntami Echeng.

While the topics of racism, discrimination and institutional injustices are complex and can be uncomfortable to discuss, the task force members said, these issues and topics “influence our patient population and the way we practice medicine. The emphasis on social determinants of health and the influence of racism and discrimination in medicine is a growing topic. Coming from Detroit, a center for ‘urban excellence,’ comes with a greater expectation of experience with these topics in real time.”

The Oct. 5 summit, which begins at 6 p.m., will introduce the history of racism in the Detroit community, medical education and in medical practice.

Year 1 and Year 2 students can receive a maximum of four clinic service-learning hours by taking part in the week’s events. The Oct. 5 summit will count for two hours for Year 2 students only. To be eligible, students must complete pre- and post-event surveys.

All events are free and are scheduled to take place via Zoom from 6 to 8 p.m. Register for each event separately at the associated links below.

The week’s agenda and topics include:

Oct. 5: Racism in Medicine and Detroit Summit. Medicine can be learned anywhere. Learning how structural racism influences the Detroit community and medical education will provide context for the urban excellence training at the WSU School of Medicine and the unique skills needed to care for an underserved population. Featuring Rhonda Dailey, M.D.; Carmen McIntyre Leon, M.D.; Ijeoma Nnodim Opara, M.D.; and Lewis Graham. You can submit questions for the panelists here.

Oct. 6: Racism as a Form of Trauma, 6 to 7:30 p.m., featuring Carmen McIntyre Leon, M.D., followed by a dialogue circle facilitated by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. If you can begin to understand how racism in all forms has negative effects on individual and community health you can begin to understand how to combat this for yourself and for the people and patients you care for. The impact of racism is complex, but learning how to define and categorize responses to various forms of racism will help you piece together how you can make positive impacts moving forward. This event is co-sponsored by the Latino Medical Student Association.

Oct. 7: Our Identities and Intersectionality, 6 to 7 p.m., featuring Arash Javanbakht, M.D. How does your identity benefit or hinder your performance in certain spaces? Do you feel confident in some but shy in others? Why is that? What factors are at play? Attend to learn more about the importance of understanding your identity. Co-sponsored by the Islamic Medical Student Association and the National Arab American Medical Association NextGen. This will be followed by S’mores and Wards, Medical Education and Discrimination, 7 to 8 p.m. What really happens on rotations? The sharing of stories can provide benefit in learning but also in building a supportive community around injustices experienced by your fellow medical students. What would you do if you encountered this? What will/would you do if you see this done to a fellow classmate?

Oct. 8: Healthcare and Vulnerable Communities, 6 to 7 p.m., featuring Ijeoma Nnodim Opara, M.D. Racism embedded in the structure of our society and institutions deters many from beginning to understand how we got here and why. However, the future of medicine and the future of our communities that we entered this profession to care for depends on it. By attending this session you will learn about the structural influences of health disparities and more importantly how to combat them. Co-sponsored by the American Medical Women’s Association and the Cass Clinic. Followed by COVID-19: Racism and Health Inequity Zoom-talk, 7 to 8 p.m. You’ve probably learned about the health disparities that the COVID pandemic blatantly exacerbated. But did you get a chance to talk about what this means for the Detroit community, current or future health advocacy efforts, or for you as a future physician? Join the discussion, learn the opinions of other students and share your insight. There is a need for transparency and collaboration amongst students, faculty and practicing physicians, and this could be where it starts.

Oct. 9: Allyship for Our Peers and Patients, 6 to 7 p.m., featuring Kevin Wang, M.D. Regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation - there is a place for you in social justice advocacy in the medical field. Everyone is welcome, and more importantly everyone is needed. This event can help you understand what it means to be an ally and how to use your powers effectively. Co-sponsored by LGBT+ People in Medicine. Followed by How to Be a Better Ally, 7 to 8 p.m., featuring Latonya Riddle-Jones, M.D.; Diane Levine, M.D.; Elizabeth Secord, M.D.; the Corktown Health Center’s Patrick Yankee; the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center’s Andrew Goodman, M.D.; and Henry Ford’s Ruth Ellis Center. Now that you’ve learned about racism, identity, advocacy and allyship, this is your opportunity to put them all together. By attending this panel you will hear how experts have pieced together these complex concepts and how they use them to make a positive impact. The discussion will be guided based on personal experiences and episode 10 from the podcast The Happiness Lab: How to Be a Better Ally.