The "Awoke" AMA: Are they for real?

    We are in the midst of a global social reset. Many countries including the US are trying to become more transculturally transparent by attempting to discard institutionalized biases & racist transgressions committed in their transactional roles with all traditionally disenfranchised ethnic groups. Also, along the same vein, corporations. profit and nonprofit organizations have begun to effectively address workplace inequalities while the healthcare industry is trying to eradicate past healthcare inequities as well.

    So given that premise, we’re all embarking in crucial conversations facilitating change with elevated empathy, sensitivity and awareness of past poor systemic inequalities. Mostly if not all perpetuated by our so-called/racist systemic myopic biases infringing on minority or marginalized groups. 

    Multicultural health disparities corrections & access to care has been long overdue. Naturally, removing these stereotyped attitudinal beliefs and offensive cultural behaviors will require a huge concerted effort from all healthcare industry stakeholders. But putting into practice this fresh embraced perspective will require the AMA to go beyond lip service to their partnering stakeholders such as the patient community & us as well.

    If they want to be viewed credibly by society and other various industry stakeholders as a vested enlightened & unbiased organization as alluded in their newly revised/embraced diversity policies, then they must openly recognize two fundamental needs of the PA profession/community; namely:

1. Recognize OTP (Optimum Team Practice )

2. Recognize our new professional designation–Physician Associate       

    Anything short of valuing inter-professional differences or seeking ways to grow and embrace their understanding & support of the PA profession would be hypocritical. Thus failing to truly collaborate in building an industry culture where non-physician providers are not empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to the table, nor increase access to healthcare to vulnerable patient communities is not only disrespectful, but downright morally hollow. And worse yet, such a move could be viewed as nothing more than an insincere case of organizational moral self-exculpation in the eyes of many in any transactional role they would attempt to engage in. Especially with prior oppressed social groups.

    For PAs diversity, equity & inclusivity have always been more than ideas, they have been part of our professional DNA and calling when providing care to our patients for the past 5 decades.

   So will the AMA abide by their own modernized organizational policies and revamped organizational image? Perhaps…only time will tell if they are as passionate in rebuilding and maintaining an honest transparent cultural philosophy that is representative of this new paradigm were intolerance of any form of discrimination is openly rejected & ultimately condemned in the name of social justice. 

    In sum, as George Bernard Shaw said it best: "Progress is impossible without change, and those who can not change their minds can not change anything".