black trainee

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Meet our Researchers

Tamorah Lewis, MD – Associate Professor University of Toronto, adjunct Associate female academic faculty member and co-designed and co-leads this study with Dr Sutkin because it is important to her to bring to light the hidden experience of URM trainees in medicine.

Tyler Smith, MD - Tyler K. Smith, MD, MPH, FAAP, Fellowship Director, Academic General Pediatrics at Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at UMKC SOM. Proud HBCU graduate. I am a collaborator on the research project.

Carrie Francis, MD – Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Associate Dean, Workforce Innovation and Empowerment, Faculty Affairs & Development, Kansas University Medical Center. Dr. Francis is a Black woman surgeon in Otolaryngology – a field where Black people – and especially Black women – are underrepresented. I didn’t always have a strong, culturally responsive mentorship as a medical student and resident. I’m excited to be part of this project and be the change I want to see in medicine.

Julius Leary, EdD – Executive Director of Frontiers Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) at the University of Kansas. Dr. Leary holds an Ed.D. in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University, MBA in Operations Management and Change Management from the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business at DePaul University, and a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics from Elmhurst University.

Brianna Clark, DO, MPH, CNPM, IBCLC - is a military brat who received her B.S. from Baylor University, and her Master of Public Health, and a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Texas A&M University School of Public Health and The Bush School of Government and Public Service, respectively. She is a proud Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine with a degree from Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine ( VCOM) Carolinas- Campus and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant ( IBCLC). A champion for diversity, equity, and belonging in healthcare, Dr. Clark is a primary care physician. Additionally, Dr. Clark is receiving additional training in lactation and breastfeeding medicine through the Lessons in Lactation Advanced Curriculum (LILAC) program at the University of Rochester.

Dr. Karen L. Smith, MD, native of rural Maryland, is a Family Physician private independent practice owner in rural Raeford, North Carolina. She is a graduate of Duke University with Bachelor of Science degree in biology, Hahnemann University School of Medicine, and Duke FAHEC Residency program and subsequent professional practice of Family Medicine. During her greater than thirty-two years of practice, Dr. Smith successfully implemented efficient technology strategies including early adoption of electronic health since 2003 and most recently ambient augmented intelligence for acute, chronic, and preventive services for a diverse patient population from birth to end of life. Recognizing the needs of her patient population reach beyond the exam room, Dr. Smith is actively involved with organized medicine advocacy serving the American Academy of Family Physicians Board of Directors 2021-2024, the North Carolina Academy of Family Physician as a past president and board chair, the North Carolina Medical Society current board of directors, a North Carolina Delegate to the American Medical Association, active member of the Old North State Medical Society, National Medical Association, and American Society of Addiction Medicine. In addition, she is a current board member of the Foundation for Health Leadership and Innovation. She serves the state of North Carolina as the Hoke County Health Department Medical Director, a past chair of the Division of Medical Assistance Advisory committee, and a member of the North Carolina Institute of Medicine. Dr. Smith is a physician consultant for the Alliant Quality improvement Organization as well as local medical director for Aledade accountable care organization. She served on advisory groups for the Office of the National Coordinator and CMS Quality Payment Program as a physician champion. Dr. Smith is actively engaged with healthcare transformation utilizing business models including value-based payment population healthcare strategies embracing technological strategies. In addition, other key areas of interest include substance use disorders, health disparities, and rural healthcare. She is engaged in global healthcare as demonstrated by direct support and involvement with mission work abroad and support for the education and training of doctors worldwide. Dr. Smith was honored as the North Carolina Family Physician of the year in 2016 and American Academy of Family Physician of the year in 2017. In addition, she is a 2024 recipient of the NC Governor Longleaf of the Pine recognition and Rural Leadership award. She is married to Michael Hendricks, and they have four children Marcus, Marquise, Mikara, and Michaela.

Gary Sutkin, MD – Professor, Associate Dean of Education, Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine. Dr. Sutkin is a Physician, Professor and Director of the Surgical Innovation lab at UMKC School of Medicine.

Grant Jenkins, PhD –Associate Professor of English at the University of Tulsa specializes in the ethics of language and literature, especially that by African Americans. Levinas expert and collaborator who has been instrumental in the study design.

Our Interview Team

Charles Oakley – UMKC Graduate Student

Teressa Hill

Tiana Ford

Janet Nwaukoni, MD

FAQs

Why does this study matter?

Equity in healthcare and healthcare settings impacts, providers, patients and family members. For health professions students in medical school, lack of equity can impact not only personal well-being, but may impact overall academic success. Understanding the barriers, both implicit and explicit that one may experience as a Black student, resident or fellow, will be important for changing medical education and equal treatment of all.

Why should I participate in this study?

Only you know your lived experience as a person who identifies as Black and as a medical student, resident, or fellow. Choosing to participate in this study, which is totally voluntary, can help to affect change in current practice in medical education and to assist future generations of medical students to more equitable educational opportunities and their treatment during the academic and residential years.

Will my interview and comments be kept confidential?

The Universities Institutional Review Boards (IRB) have approved this study and ranked it as low risk to participants. As will any study in which individuals are interviewed, there remains nominal risk of identification. Our study team has put into place everything possible to protect your identity as a participant. Each individual interviewed as a part of this study will be de-identified and each interview transcript will be numbered consecutively, and participants will be labeled with a specific code (i.e. Subject 1, Subject 2.) Your name will never be used in the transcripts or included in any write-ups. Interviewers will be unassociated with UMKC to eliminate retribution for any answers given. More importantly, interviewers have walked in your shoes and shared similar experiences with you and therefore stand in solidarity with you for a solution. The only persons who will have access to your research records are the study personnel listed on this website, the Institutional Review Board (IRB), and any other person, agency, or sponsor as required by law. The information from this study may be published in scientific journals or presented at scientific meetings but the data will be reported as group or summarized and your identity will be kept strictly confidential. All transcribed documents art kept in a password protected computer within a locked lab.

What if I agree to be interviewed, but change my mind about participating?

As a participant, you have the right to withdraw from the study at anytime and NOT to have data collected during the interview used. Withdrawal can occur after agreeing to be interviewed, during the interview process, or after the interview has been concluded.

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Welcome to the information page for The Black Trainee: Racial Dynamics in the Mentor-Mentee relationship.

In medical education, Black trainees are experiencing racism in multiple forms, specifically within the informal curriculum that exists in clinical rotations.

If we were to understand the impact of racism upon the mentor-mentee relationship, then we could establish a more meaningful dialog concerning the informal curriculum imbedded in medical education to ensure that mentor-mentee relationships developed, are not curtailed by implicit bias and racism.

Current research has touched upon racism within the unstructured interactions on clinical wards, but has not delved into the impact this has had on black trainees, especially concerning the mentor-mentee relationships developed during their medical education. The mentor-mentee relationship plays an important role in the development of a medical student during their training.

Information and consent

We request your participation and contribution to this qualitative research study investigating how racial bias in the clinical environment impacts the development of meaningful mentor-mentee relationships for Black trainees throughout their medical school matriculation and beyond. This research will help us understand how the informal and hidden curriculum present in the clinical environment shapes mentor-mentee relationships. The results of this study will allow us to start meaningful dialog in the medical community on how to take steps to eliminate racial bias and disparities on the clinical wards and beyond.

You are being asked to take part in this research study because you self-identify as Black and research shows that Black medical trainees can have a different lived experience during their medical training. We will explore this dynamic from the mentor-mentee perspective.

We will ask you to share your experiences in medical education, specifically focusing on moments in which you noticed racial bias towards yourself, other students or patients from fellow peers or mentors. Your responses are private, confidential, and de-identified. Your candid responses are important to us and we understand and take seriously our responsibility to maintain confidentiality and your protection within this study. We commit to create and maintain a safe and nonjudgmental space for you to share your experiences with interviewers who have walked in your shoes.

Meeting on zoom or at a location far from clinical work
Interviews are recorded, transcribed, deidentified, and then the recordings are discarded
1. At any time you can ask for your comments to not be recorded, and we will turn off the recording device
All of your comments will be deidentified:
1. Your specialty, rotation, hospital, and location in the hospital will not be collected. If during the interview you volunteer any of this information, we will remove it
2. We only collect gender and stage of training (fellow, resident or med student), so this information will not be linked to your responses. This data will only be aggregated with other responses
3. We will not publish levels of detail that would lead you to be identified
4. No names are collected or used
We are conducting the study with multiple campuses and organizations so the results will not reflect only one institution

Research studies are voluntary and only include people who choose to take part. The purpose of this research is to help us understand how the informal and hidden curriculum present in the clinical environment shapes mentor-mentee relationships. The total amount of time you would be in this study is for the length of the interview, which we estimate will take one hour. During your participation you will be involved in just the interview. Taking part in this research involves the following risks or discomforts: being recognizable despite our de-identification measures, being emotionally triggered due to the subject matter of the interview and reflecting on your past experiences. There are no benefits to you for taking part in this study. You have the alternative of not taking part in this study.

The deidentified results of this study will be presented to the leadership of each institution, and these leaders are committed to make real change. Your participation will impact that change.

The questions we will ask may have a triggering effect. You may stop the interview any time. We will give you a list of psychological resources.

Participation will take 1 hour. Your will be reimbursed with a $25 gift certificate for your participation.

Feel free to reach out to biasandresponsibility.umkc@gmail.com if you are interested or have any additional questions.

Thank you for your consideration,

The Racial Dynamics in the Mentor-Mentee Relationship team

How to reach us

Welcome to The Black Trainee: Racial Dynamics in the Mentor-Mentee relationship!

Meet our Researchers

Our Interview Team

FAQs

Contact form

Welcome to the information page for The Black Trainee: Racial Dynamics in the Mentor-Mentee relationship.