Donovon Allen and Mark Carter, two medical students in the EMET (Enhanced Medical Education Track) for underserved and vulnerable populations, recently unveiled their senior project involving QR codes across campus that highlight health inequities in racial and ethnic minorities. The tour is called "Combating Racism in Medicine."
"This project exposes historical practices in medicine, science, and government policies that have put people of color at a disadvantage," Allen said. "Being open and honest about these things creates the space for dialogue to address these issues and advocate for our community."
There are 27 stops in the tour, which can be found across campus, from the Buffet Cancer Center all the way to the Lauritzen Outpatient Center. They worked with Jennifer Liu, MD, a faculty member in family medicine and their EMET instructor. A medical education grant from the College of Medicine helped fund their project.
The content of each QR code is accessed by scanning the code with the camera app on a smartphone or tablet.
"We were fortunate to have many allies across campus who helped us with the design of the project," said Dr. Liu. Examples of the content, and those who assisted, include:
- education on the higher maternal mortality in Black women (OBGYN);
- flaws in the slavery hypertension hypothesis (cardiology); and
- data about the number of underrepresented minorities in medicine (COM admissions office).
Allen and Carter have been in the EMET since their first year in medical school. Dr. Liu says that the goal of this particular track is to help improve awareness of issues in underserved communities — learning about unique barriers to care, common illnesses, community resources, advocacy and improving health disparities.
Allen learned about the EMET during his medical school interview and knew it was something he wanted to pursue. "I grew up in Section 8 housing in southeast Omaha, and I wanted to know the circumstances that created an enduring cycle of poor outcomes in the Southside Terrace, my home," he said.
The team spent the past year and a half working on their QR code project and encourage those on campus to scout out the QR codes. Shirley Delair, MD, dean of diversity, equity and inclusion in the UNMC College of Medicine, thinks the tour is an excellent idea and a great way to get steps in and explore perhaps unfamiliar areas of the med center. The QR codes can be accessed for at least a year.
The team plans to continue updating the content and add more stops. "At the end of the day everyone deserves a healthy life, and we have the opportunity to create that future if we work together," Allen said.