Dr. Chaudhri was an inspiration.

I followed her story, my heart simultaneously breaking for her pain, and aching with love for her, and her end of life mission to support underrepresented scientists.

So when my vague abdominal symptoms a few months ago, I thought of her. Abdominal fullness & dull ache. Bowel pattern changes. Urinary retention.

For ~2months, I dismissed these symptoms as menstrual symptoms + work stress.

I changed my diet, drank more water, increased cardio + weight training - but symptoms got worse.

On 8/24, I went to my GYN.

So. I have a story.🧵

When I was a 3rd yr resident at Emory in 2011, my next to last rotation before graduating was at CHOA Scottish Rite.

To put it bluntly: my attending hated me. She absolutely hated me and didn’t try to hide her contempt.

She criticized everything I did. One especially frustrating day after rounds, I logged on Facebook and posted saying, “I’m so over this hospital. My attending hates me. But I don’t even care because I’ve already signed a contract for my dream job and in a month I’ll be free! Goodbye to this terrible rotation!”

Multiple factors are contributorty the racial mortality disparity: structural racism, toxic stress & cumulative socioeconomic disadvantage.

But data shows Black babies have a greater chance of survival when the physician in charge of their care is Black.

theguardian.com/world/2020/aug… Full study:
pnas.org/content/early/…

Them: “We can’t support this violence!!! Why can’t they protest peacefully?!”

Us: “Peacefully? Okay. We can do that.” Them: “No. Not like that.”

Us: “Oh. Like this?”