By Danielle Konan

Our recent conversations in class concerning systemic racism have caused me to think more about the topic, its origins, and its place in healthcare. One of the major contributors in my opinion is implicit bias. Implicit bias describes the attitudes and stereotypes held by an individual without conscious knowledge. This bias can influence the perception of others as well as contribute to expectations and assumptions for other individuals. Typically, implicit bias manifests in physical and social characteristics, such as race, gender, age, and ethnicity. On a day-to-day basis, implicit bias can appear as a non-threatening aspect of social interactions, but that is not the case in healthcare. Healthcare providers, like all individuals, have implicit bias, but in their case, perceptions could influence clinical decisions. These affects have been noted in studies concerning statin prescription rates as well as diabetes treatment. When thinking about racism and its various impacts, it is important to consider the system that allows it to manifest and not just the practice itself. Today’s healthcare system is set up in a way that can encourage health disparities without sufficient checks and balances. Before we can make concrete changes to the way individuals are treated from a healthcare standpoint, it is important to acknowledge and work to fundamentally change the system we current finds ourselves within