Accountable Healthcare with Dr. Malika Fair

Driven by an urgent desire to create a more equitable healthcare system, Dr. Malika Fair was determined to make a difference - but she never expected that her mission would also spark a revolution in the medical profession. With a relentless commitment to social accountability, she is leading the charge to empower marginalized patients and inspire a new generation of physicians to prioritize inclusion. How will her bold initiative shape the future of healthcare?

I wake up every day to solve problems, to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.

My special guest is Dr. Malika Fair

Dr. Malika Fair, a trailblazer in health equity, serves as the Senior Director of Equity and Social Accountability for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). As an emergency physician by training, Dr. Fair brings her experience and passion for addressing healthcare disparities to create a more equitable healthcare system. Inspired by her father and mentored by Dr. Marcia Perry, she has dedicated her career to advocating for marginalized communities and promoting health equity. Dr. Fair plays a pivotal role in developing competencies around diversity, equity, and inclusion for medical students, residents, and faculty. She believes in the power of collective efforts to transform healthcare and ensure everyone can achieve their health goals.

This is Dr. Malika Fair's story:

Dr. Malika Fair's journey into healthcare began when her father brought her an article discussing inequities in HIV/AIDS medication in South Africa. The challenges faced by people on the other side of the world inspired her to work towards solving problems in the healthcare system. Shadowing her mentor, Dr. Marcia Perry, Malika discovered her passion for emergency medicine and the need to improve healthcare for patients with marginalized identities. She now focuses on integrating social accountability into healthcare systems, ensuring that physicians are not only responsible but also accountable for their patient's well-being.

In this episode, you will be able to: 1. Discover the key factors for attaining health equity in underprivileged communities. 2. Uncover the benefits of incorporating social responsibility within healthcare systems. 3. Recognize the significance of implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) competencies in professional settings. 4. Learn about the value of encouraging DEI training in medical education. 5. Find out how to effectively tackle obstacles when executing health equity policies.

Health Equity and Social Accountability
Understanding health equity and social accountability is crucial in tackling disparities and promoting better healthcare outcomes for all. Health equity refers to the equal opportunity for all individuals to achieve their full health potential, regardless of social or economic status, ethnicity, or other factors. Social accountability, on the other hand, involves implementing systems of accountability to guarantee the best healthcare experience for everyone. Dr. Malika Fair shares her passion for health equity and emphasizes the importance of incorporating social accountability in every aspect of the medical field. During the podcast, Dr. Fair explains the difference between social accountability and social responsibility, stressing the need for systems that ensure patients have the best chance of achieving total health. By developing a set of competencies revolving around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Dr. Fair hopes medical students, residents, and physicians alike will integrate these principles into their practice and ultimately create more equitable healthcare services.

The resources mentioned in this episode are:

Integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion competencies into medical school and residency curricula to ensure physicians are prepared to provide care for diverse patient populations.Develop resources and support for faculty development in diversity, equity, and inclusion to facilitate learning and co-creation of new approaches to healthcare.Encourage medical institutions to work collectively in redesigning curricula, reviewing materials for diverse representation, and fostering a culture of continuous education on health equity and social accountability.Collaborate with students and faculty interested in promoting health equity, diversity, and inclusion to create a supportive environment for learning and growth.Engage with diverse communities to better understand cultural practices and preferences in healthcare, incorporating this knowledge into medical education and practice.Utilize the AAMC's competencies around diversity, equity, and inclusion to develop individualized learning and teaching plans that meet the unique needs of each physician and institution.Continuously update and revise medical education materials and approaches to reflect the latest research and understanding of health equity, diversity, and inclusion in healthcare.Advocate for policies and practices that promote health equity and social accountability at the institutional, local, and national levels.Encourage open dialogue and collaboration between healthcare providers, educators, and communities to address health disparities and promote equity in healthcare access and outcomes.Stay informed on the latest research, initiatives, and best practices in health equity, diversity, and inclusion to ensure continuous improvement in medical education and

Timestamped summary of this episode:

00:00:00 - Introduction, 
Host Corey Dion Lewis introduces Dr. Malika Fair, Senior Director of Equity and Social Accountability for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

00:01:10 - What Drives Dr. Fair, 
Dr. Fair shares her passion for solving healthcare problems, fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves, and providing the best healthcare and total health for everyone, especially those who are marginalized or under-resourced.

00:03:27 - Dr. Fair's Emergence Medicine Experience, 
Dr. Fair shares her experience of being introduced to emergency medicine and how it allowed her to see medicine come to life and witness the state of the healthcare system right in front of her.

00:07:21 - Social Accountability, 
Dr. Fair explains the difference between social responsibility and social accountability in healthcare and how it is essential to create systems of accountability for everyone in the healthcare system, from medical students to practicing physicians.

00:13:47 - Shifting Healthcare Culture, 
Dr. Fair discusses how the shift in healthcare culture is happening, and it is driven by students who demand that diversity, equity, and inclusion become part of their curriculum and the way they take care of patients. She emphasizes the importance of continuous education and the co-creation of what the new generation of physicians should look like.

00:16:40 - Health Equity and Social Accountability, 
Dr. Malika Fair talks about the importance of equity in healthcare, education, and career goals. She discusses how AAMC is approaching equity broadly and encouraging people to think about equity in their own lives and work. She shares about AAMC's Diversity Inclusion Culture Equity Inventory tool and the importance of accountability.

00:19:50 - Challenges in Achieving Equity, 
Dr. Fair acknowledges that achieving equity is hard because it's tied to deep feelings people have, fears about their position in life, and political divisiveness. She encourages people to think about equity i...