Michele Harper | Beauty in Breaking

Disparities

Dr. Michele Harper shares her experiences navigating healthcare inequities as a Black woman in America. She describes the layers of identity she must manage, both as a Black woman and as a physician, which require a constant state of hypervigilance 1. Michele views justice as her guiding principle, akin to a personal religion, shaping her decisions and actions in the medical field 2. Her reflections on the state of medicine highlight the shift from patient care to profit-driven motives, exacerbated by the pandemic, which has exposed long-standing issues in healthcare access and worker safety 3.

It's devastating. And now being through coronavirus at a time when we need health care more than ever during a pandemic, this pandemic, I mean, there's so much devastation, death, pain, suffering.

--- Dr. Michele Harper

Michele hopes for a future where healthcare is recognized as a right, not a privilege.

   

Bias

Bias in medicine significantly affects patient interactions and outcomes, as Dr. Michele Harper explains. She highlights the underrepresentation of Black women in medicine, noting that only 2% of physicians are Black women, which impacts the safety and trust patients feel 4. Michele recounts a case where she had to advocate for a Black patient against racial bias, emphasizing the need for systemic change to ensure patient rights and dignity 5.

Patients aren't listened to, not taken as seriously. Their symptoms aren't felt to be real, so they're not evaluated in ways that will reveal if there's an underlying medical disease.

--- Dr. Michele Harper

She stresses the importance of addressing both implicit and explicit biases in healthcare.

   

Advocacy

Dr. Michele Harper's role as an advocate is central to her identity as a healer. She shares stories of advocating for patients who are often overlooked or dismissed by the healthcare system, emphasizing the need for urgent care and thorough evaluation 6. Michele's commitment to justice and wellness drives her to speak out against systemic issues, aiming to create structural changes in healthcare 7. Her writing, including her memoir "The Beauty in Breaking," serves as a platform to amplify marginalized voices and advocate for justice 8.

I identify as an advocate, which I feel, for me, goes hand in hand with being a healer. And I see no way of being a healer if I am not going to advocate for my patience and these principles and justice.

--- Dr. Michele Harper

Michele's dedication to advocacy is intertwined with her mission to heal and promote justice.