Central PA Medicine Summer2020 - 23

daup h i n c m s .o rg

for an acute migraine. Newer drugs are
calcitonin gene related peptide antagonists
frequently advertised on television and the
Internet. One drug has an average wholesale
price of $102 a tablet with its competitor
of a quick dissolving tablet costing $127.50
average wholesale. Even for those of us who
have money to pay, it is a bitter pill to swallow.

implicit bias fueling this unjust treatment. The Black LGBTQ community has been
Recently at the AMA Interim meeting in particularly hard hit by crime with the
2019, a resolution which was adopted as murder rate of Black transgender females
policy encourages minimum standards for higher than any other category. Guilty
training of school resource officers to include before any trial seems to be the modus
childhood development, psychology, violence operandi for some policemen.
de-escalation and resolution, implicit and
explicit bias, cultural competency, and IMPLICIT BIAS
restorative justice training. That resolution
Much of this is due to implicit bias. ImEDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND
had its birth in the Pennsylvania Medical plicit bias can be positive as well as negative.
TRANSPORTATION
Society's House of Delegates in 2017 and Positive bias can be the expectation that all
Zip codes also determine educational is now endorsed by national organizations children from a particular family or particular
opportunities partially based on real estate including the Women Physicians Section of part of town will be academic or athletic
assessments and tax base and employment the AMA, American Academy of Pediatrics, stars when the eldest has those talents. A
opportunities. Urban settings with resultant American Psychiatric Association, and Amer- story in which a teacher was congratulated
isolation and decreased employment oppor- ican Academy of Family Physicians. When on the academic achievements of her class is
tunities occur if one does not own a reliable I wrote the original resolution, I wanted demonstrative. She was surprised on being
car or truck or other transportation mode. to make sure our tax dollars which fund lauded for her students' achievements as she
school resource officer salaries were being said it was expected because of their high
NUTRITION AND PUBLIC
spent justly. The student that precipitated IQs. When she was told that those numbers
EDUCATION
this resolution was White, but my patient were locker numbers rather than IQs, she
Food and medical deserts with lack of felt unsafe around this deeply troubled replied that she taught the children based
access to healthy and reasonably priced food young man. I found our state legislature on her perception of their talents. What a
choices and adequate, respectful medical had outlined duties and responsibilities but lesson in expectations. Negative implicit
care are all too commonly lacking in many gave no consideration to qualifications. On bias has the opposite outcomes.
Black communities. School feeding programs further investigation, the inordinate number
recognize that hungry children do not learn of more severe disciplinary actions against BLACK LIVES MATTER
as well. Public education is radically differ- people of color became apparent. It is difficult
Yes, Black Lives Matter. When we diminish
ent in inner city schools from the usually to learn when you are at increased risk for or demean another human being by not prowealthier suburbs. Aside from Head Start, punishment - be it fair or unfair.
viding opportunities for education, adequate
early childhood education programs are not
housing, employment, health care, social
available to Black communities. Yet preschool POLICING
support, or transportation, we are guilty of
education is linked to better performance in
Policing has been highlighted by recent diminishing each one of us. Imagine there
school and provides stability for the working headlines documenting police brutality and is a fence you need to look over. You are tall
parent. School teachers in predominantly injustice. Unfortunately, this is not new or and can see over to the other side without any
Black schools earn on average $1800 less limited in scope. My niece is a federal parale- aid, but your companion is shorter and the
annually when matched for years teaching gal who sees this every day. She recommends fence blocks his or her view. Until you place
and educational degrees. Lack of current we all see Just Mercy as it explains the plight stairs or a platform for your companion, he
teaching materials and computers hamper of Black men and women in the justice or she is denied access to the view. That is
learning in underfunded schools by denying system. Much of this is fueled by explicit the system in which Black men and women
opportunity to full range education. Many and implicit bias. Being Black jogging in find themselves. That system must change.
underfunded schools have eliminated music, a White neighborhood can get you killed.
art, and physical education which can give A "no-knock" warrant for suspected drug
What do you feel? Anger? Disgust? White
avenues for expression and release of tensions. trafficking can get you killed while sleeping privilege sucks if you are not White. We
in your own bed. Having a 911 call made all can do better. It is the duty of each and
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS
by a seventeen-year-old clerk on suspicion every one, regardless of our skin color. Until
School resource officers pose another of passing a counterfeit $20 bill can get you Black lives matter, all lives do not matter
barrier to equal education in many school killed by a police officer standing on your as much.
settings. Black students are more frequently neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Fleeing
and more severely punished for perceived from police when avoiding arrest can get you
infractions according to studies done by fatally shot in the back. The fatal shooting
National Public Radio. Many school resource of a twelve-year-old Black child with a
officers are former police officers. There is toy gun should tug at every parent's heart.
Central PA Medicine Summer 2020 23

http://www.dauphincms.org

Central PA Medicine Summer2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Central PA Medicine Summer2020