“By sharing my story, as well as the stories of some of the patients I’ve met over the past fifteen years, I hope to humanize the dire statistics and bitter racial debates and paint a fuller picture of the experiences of black patients, as well as that of the black doctors who navigate between the black community and the predominately white medical world.” – Damon Tweedy, M.D., Black Man in a White Coat

Memoir about Damon Tweedy’s journey in medicine, from his college enrollment through internship and selection of a field of specialization. This book combines a personal story of navigating medical school with accounts of (mostly) black people facing significant health issues. He recounts stories of his memorable patients, the impact of race on their treatment, and racial biases he encountered personally. He also challenges his own perceptions of race and engages in self-reflection.

Many of the difficulties in the medical field have to do with the socioeconomic background of the patients and the US healthcare system. Tweedy cites many statistics (with sources and notes cited in the appendix) to highlight some of the primary areas of concern, such as:

“As with so many societal problems, blacks as a group suffer to the largest extent, being nearly twice as likely as white Americans to live without health insurance. And while obtaining health insurance alone does not fix the health problems of the poor, it makes a real difference. A 2007 study found that previously uninsured adults, in particular those with cardiovascular disease or diabetes, reported improved health over a seven-year follow-up period after obtaining Medicare coverage at age sixty-five.”

Aside from informative statistics, he makes a strong case for lifestyle choices as a primary factor in longevity. He points out the need for more black doctors, and the importance of making a human connection with the patient, regardless of racial background: “A big part of the solution is discarding your assumptions and connecting with each patient as a person. Race, while certainly a powerful influence, by itself doesn’t guarantee a human connection any more than any other factor.”

While it is impossible for one individual to solve racial prejudice and the US healthcare woes, he points out areas where awareness can make a difference. I feel books like this are valuable in helping view the world through the lens of another person’s experience. It is written in a manner easily understood by a person without a medical background. I found it enlightening and worthwhile.
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I always enjoy reading about a job that I will never have. This was an interesting overview of the education and early years of a doctor. Eye opening to see how race affects medical treatment and doctors and nurses. I was glad to see Dr Tweedy's growth as he went through school, internship, residency and finally practicing. Because this covers all these areas we get the big picture in lots of different departments of medicine. Not my favorite of this genre, but he had a lot of bases to cover. ( )

I loved this book! I have know for a very long time that I wanted to enter the medical field and approximately 3 years ago I decided to declare myself as a Biochemistry major with the goal of attending medical school. This book was an assigned reading book in an Honor's class I was taking at home university. The honors course focused on cultural competency in medicine. This taught me so much and solidified my desire to become a physician. While reading this book I analyzed my own bias and how this bias can impact the care people of color receive from their medical providers. Continually throughout this book I was compelled to help alter the inequality demonstrated in medicine in my future medical career. I believe this is an essential read for Pre-medical undergrads!! ( )

(30) I have been meaning to read this for awhile now. The author was a medical student at Duke when I was in training there. Gosh, I don't remember meeting him, but I hoped if we worked together I was one of the residents that was spoken about favorably. Anyway, I could so relate to the public/private clinic population that was segregated down racial lines - one cared for by trainees and one cared for by faculty. Things are still largely this way if you can believe it. It blew my mind and for sure conflated for me the prejudice of black = unhealthy, uneducated, unlikely to comply. It is just a terrible situation. The southern medical culture was shocking to me hailing from the Northeast. But I will say that if it wasn't for my medical training in the South, I never would have met fabulous black colleagues and middle-class black black friends and neighbors. Living in the South has both reinforced and broke down my own implicit bias regarding skin color.

What I loved about Tweedy's writing is that he wrote so accessibly, so down to earth, so non-judgmental - and so non-partisanly! This was neither a book espousing liberal politics and viewpoints, nor a gross blaming of black people for their own fates - 'Hey, I've escaped, so can you,' kind of Bill Cosby, Ben Carson sort of thing. Tweedy is so clear-eyed - seeing people as individuals, yet of course acknowledging racism, as well as personal responsibility. Anyway, his narration is so matter of fact and grounded in shared humanity that I imagine if it was more widely read, it would change hearts and minds more than many a strident book I've read on the undeniable role white power and privilege plays in the fate of African-Americans in our country. But maybe thats just my white fragility manifesting. .

Anyway, I wish our paths could cross as we share the same community. Kudos. I rode in that station wagon out to rural North Carolina Health Departments to provide prenatal care with a carload of medical students many a time . . . Dr. Tweedy inspires me to be my best self with this quickly read and quietly moving memoir, that spoke to me via our shared experiences. ( )

The book was an easy read with a lot of documented information woven into the narrative. It is an account of the struggles of a black doctor dealing with both black and white patients. Well worth reading. ( )