An example of #systemicracism for @JAMA_current

Hi! I’m @ayshakhoury a physician and educator. I was a founding instructor at @KPMedSchool until I was suspended and fired after moderating a class on bias and racism in medicine.

I was suspended from @KPMedSchool without due process. I hoped the school & the Board led by @HollyJHumphrey would do right, but instead of hiring a restorative justice consultant to facilitate healing, the school hired a litigator. They had no interest in healing the community. The actions of @DrMarkSchuster, @MConnellyMD @MichaelKanterMD and others are antithetical to the written values of the school.

The complaint that was filed is my continued attempt to hold @KPMedSchool accountable to those values. Here is the link:

civilrightslawyerla.com/khoury

A few months ago, well before I shared my story publicly, a friend tried to help me understand that I can use any vehicle to teach. I didn’t need a classroom. He advised that I share with Black students what it means to be #BlackinMedicine 1/15 Growing up in Atlanta gives you a different sense of the world. You’re surrounded by Black professionals. Undoubtedly there’s racism but you learn to work hard and that your work will speak for you. Indeed Until now, my work, clinical and teaching, has spoken for itself. 2/15

Dear KPSOM faculty,

I understand the gossip mill is abuzz and I lay that at the feet of leadership.

For any gossip you share, does it justify the lack of due process? Does it justify my suspension or firing?

Otherwise I trust @StudentsofKP and the students present 8/28 This will be one of those moments you look back on in your life and ask “did I do the right thing?” “Did I do enough?”

Where is your North Star?

And if you’re afraid to speak up, is that the type of environment you deserve?

spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-west/new…

Thank you Medscape, @elliepses @ShimonDCohen @DrOmolara for helping me amplify my story. This photo was from my interview day. I excitedly called my “work mom”. She said from the sound of my voice she had no doubts I’d get the job. So joyous that day!

medscape.com/viewarticle/94… @KPMedSchool may continue to deny why I was fired but they cannot deny that I was up for promotion June 10 and then suspended within 9 hours of the August 28 class. They cannot rewrite history when I was told numerous times why I was suspended.

A Black newborn is 3 times more likely to DIE if their provider is white and not Black!

Let that sink in. For anyone who has ever anticipated the arrival of a baby in their family, let that sink in.

Meditate on that and then, how all that is jeopardized bc of a construct. Do you feel that anxiety and fear? Do you feel that helplessness?

That’s how I’ve felt as a Black woman having to interact with white HCP. My MD and experience didn’t matter once I started advocating for family.

I appreciate this outpouring of support. If good can come from what happened to me, please start an antiracism journey NOW. Start in your business, department, home. Are you using your privilege to amplify the voices of minoritized and racialized folks around you? As uncomfortable as it may be to hear, your silence allows situations like mine and worse than mine to occur. My situation was allowed to occur b/c 100s of faculty decided “this isn’t my problem” “I don’t have enough information” “I don’t want that to be me” “I never liked her”

Two weeks ago I was told “they want you back. You can teach January 4.” My lawyer was so excited. A week later I was asked if I would leave “voluntarily”.

My pastoral counselor reminded me that “people don’t know the weight of their own stories”. So here is part of mine. On August 28, I had the most profound moment in my career as an educator. It was the 57th anniversary of the #MarchonWashington and #EmmetTill ‘s death. 1 I was asked by my Institution to incorporate the topics of bias and racial health disparities in my fundamentals of medicine class. I made the decision to show up fully as a Black woman in medicine. We had a candid discussion on racism in society, acknowledging what the day 2