Mentoring as a Buffer for the Syndemic Impact of Racism and COVID-19 among Diverse Faculty within Academic Medicine

Jeannette E. South-Paul, Kendall M. Campbell, Norma Poll-Hunter and Audrey J. Murrell
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Jeannette E. South-Paul: School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
Kendall M. Campbell: Research Group for Underrepresented Minorities in Academic Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
Norma Poll-Hunter: Association of American Medical Colleges, Washington, DC 20001, USA
Audrey J. Murrell: School of Business, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 9, 1-10

Abstract: Within this article, we explore the dual impact of two pandemics, racism and COVID-19, on the career and psychological well-being of diverse faculty within academic medicine. First, we present a discussion of the history of racism in academic medicine and the intensification of racial disparities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the syndemic of racism and COVID-19, the outlook for the recruitment, retention, and advancement of diverse faculty and leaders within academic medicine is at risk. While mentoring is known to have benefits for career and personal development, we focus on the unique and often unacknowledged role that mentoring can play as a buffer for women and people of color, especially when working in institutions that lack diversity and are now struggling with the syndemic of racism and COVID-19. We also discuss the implications of acknowledging mentoring as a buffer for future leadership development, research, and programs within academic medicine and health professions.

Keywords: mentoring; diversity; racism; academic medicine; COVID-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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