Overview:

Medical professionals must be sensitive to different ideas and beliefs when working with patients from different backgrounds. They must also be familiar with the community’s history and previous experiences with the medical field. This collection explores the history of how the Black and African American communities have been treated by the medical community. After learning about this history, students will be able to apply their understanding and discuss how this history impacts the relationship between the Black and African American communities and medical professionals today.

Questions for discussion throughout the lesson include:

Why does medical mistrust among Black and African American populations matter to me, the people around me and/or the world?

How does the person understand the medical system and their role within it? What might the person’s emotional response be to the system and their position in it? What are this person’s values, priorities, or motivations regarding the system? How might these answers change depending on the person’s perspective (Black or African American community member, medical professional, other community member)?

What can I do to contribute to this topic in my inner circle, in my community and in the world?

Pacing/curriculum:

This lesson was designed for a high school course that specifically covers healthcare with an emphasis on modern clinical medicine, including topics such as cultural sensitivity, medical ethics, and reproductive rights. It can also be used in courses covering life sciences, biology, civil rights, and American history.

The collection is designed to be used in one or two 55-minute class periods and can be used in a remote or in-person learning environment. The teacher can lead the students through the collection or let the students move through the collection on their own. Students may also be broken into groups with each group reviewing one of the four subtopics and coming back to share with the entire class.

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