Podcast: Can Academic Medicine Help Reduce Health Inequities?

“Health inequities are absolutely unacceptable…Across town, the difference in life expectancy can be over a decade,” said David Skorton, M.D., president and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

Part two of Dean Henri Ford’s Inside U Miami Medicine episode with AAMC leaders Dr. Skorton and Alison Whelan, M.D., focuses on academic medicine’s role in reducing disparities in marginalized communities. They discuss the importance of diversity in medical schools, and how it can lead to improved health outcomes.

“Research suggests social determinants of health are more potent than health care alone or genetics alone,” said Dr. Skorton. “But we haven’t paid enough attention to this.”

Drs. Whelan and Skorton also share their insights into current Supreme Court cases that are examining whether race-conscious admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina are lawful, raising concerns about the future of holistic admissions in higher education.

Dean Ford wraps up the episode by asking his guests about their hopes for the future of medical education and the challenges they anticipate.

“There are so many incredible opportunities,” said Dr. Whelan. “We can really transform health equity for everybody.”

Find the episode here or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Tags: American Association of Medical Colleges, Dean Henri Ford, Dr. Alison Whelan, Dr. David Skorton, Inside U Miami Medicine, medical education