The women’s sailing team finished fourth out of 18 teams in the 2021 Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association Women’s National Championship May 19 and 20. The national championship appearance was the team’s first since being promoted to varsity status in May 2020.

The team’s two boats combined for a score of 224 points, enough for a top four result but 23 points short of first place. In the A-division boat, team captain Annabelle Hutchinson ’21 raced alongside skipper Olivia Belda ’22. The B-division boat, directed by skipper Caroline Bayless ’23 and crew Maddy McGrath ’22, excelled, leading all 18 boats in the division with 91 points.

“Fourth place at a national championship is a great result. We should be proud of it,” said Head Coach John Mollicone, who has led the coed and women’s sailing teams for the past 22 years. “We had a disqualification for one race. We had some penalties … and that was probably the difference for us from winning to fourth, but we still had a great result.”

For Hutchinson, being able to compete in the championship was a win in its own right. “We’re definitely proud of it. I know that going into it, we were all hoping to win. But just the fact that we were able to sail the national championship is still kind of phenomenal to all of us,” she said. “If you asked any of us in February if we would have even a single regatta, we would probably have said no.”

In April, the women’s sailing team qualified for the national championship with a victory at the New England Intercollegiate Sailing Association Women’s Championship. “The New England championship is the national qualifier,” Bayless said. “And our team went in and won the event — cold. So we hadn’t sailed for an entire year or competed for an entire year, (then) went in and won the national qualifier, which was huge.”

The team’s ability to compete this year stems in part from its promotion to varsity status in May 2020. The women’s and coed sailing teams were the only two teams promoted to varsity as a part of the Excellence in Brown Athletics Initiative, which initially demoted 11 athletic teams to club status before the University reinstated five back to the varsity roster following community pushback and legal challenges.

“The announcement came to our team as just as much of a surprise as it did to the rest of the teams (that were demoted),” Hutchinson said. 

In May 2019, a year before the initiative was announced, the women’s sailing team placed first out of 18 qualified teams to win the 2019 ICSA Women’s National Championship. Because sailing is governed by the ICSA and not the NCAA, Brown was able to compete against — and defeat — varsity teams from schools across the country despite their designation as a club team.

“The fact that we won the 2019 Women’s Championship was probably hugely influential on (being promoted to varsity), because it demonstrated that we are one of the strongest athletic programs that Brown has to offer,” Hutchinson said.

The team’s strong performances continued until the abrupt end to competition in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Before we got shut down for COVID, our women’s team was ranked number one in the country, and they were the reigning national champions going back to 2019,” Mollicone said. “And our coed team was ranked sixth in the country when COVID hit. They were the New England champions in the fall of 2019.”

While COVID-19 restrictions prevented all Brown club teams from competing, the sailing teams’ timely promotions allowed them to practice and eventually compete in spite of the pandemic. “I don’t think club sports have operated, really at all. And I think being varsity certainly gave us the opportunity to get on the water … we certainly would not have been able to compete if we were still a club team,” Mollicone said. 

Despite the team’s relatively recent varsity designation, the program has practiced, recruited and competed at a varsity level for years — an approach proven effective by its 2019 national championship victory. “We worked really hard,” Mollicone said. “We recruited as best we could. We fundraised. We did everything that we could do to be a very strong program.” 

“We’re very, very competitive in practice. But it’s a really supportive environment at the same time,” Bayless said. “Our team has the mentality and philosophy that if you make practice as hard as you possibly can, then it makes your events easy.”

Due to its promotion, the sailing team now has access to crucial resources previously unavailable to them as a club team. “We got to go to the weight room and start lifting, which I think helped a lot for our physical fitness. And we also got access to the training room — a lot of sailors have very bad backs, so our team really benefited from that,” Bayless said.

Hutchinson agreed that in sailing, proper training and rehab are particularly important. “I think the entire team can tell the difference just in our conditioning … and if your muscles aren’t feeling good, or something is wrong, we have access to the trainer who can help us and kind of (rehabilitate) us,” she said. “We did not realize how much we were missing until we had it.”

Increased social media exposure and communication with administration have also emerged as benefits of the team’s varsity designation. “Social media and just the team getting some recognition is really nice. We’re psyched about that. I mean, we went and won the national championship in 2019 and that was never on social media for the school or anything,” Mollicone said.

“Just having access to the athletic administration has been nice,” Hutchinson added. “It definitely makes us feel like more of a part of the Brown athletics culture that I don’t think we had really felt that we were a part of before,” she said. 

Two championships remain on the horizon this summer: the coed team race June 2 and 3, and the coed fleet race June 7 and 8. Next year, Brown will host the first ever ICSA National Women’s Team Race Championship.

Bayless is optimistic about the direction of the sailing program — and hungry for an even better result in future competitions. 

“We’re definitely gunning for another national championship title in the next two years,” she said. “So I’m excited to be able to come back on the water in the next two years and try and fight for that one.”

The Allston community fridge is moving after a power cut expelled them from their location.

In school, most children learn about respect and kindness. In adulthood, respecting personal space and wishes comes in the form of consent. The conversation surrounding consent generally involves saying “yes” to sexual activities, but consent also involves saying “no” — and respecting when people say “no.”

And yet studies have found that many college-age students, particularly men, don’t understand the basic concept of consent. Utah clearly suffers from the effects of this lack of education. About one in two Utah women — which is the same as the national rate — will experience some kind of sexual violence victimization, with many victims being children. About 80-90% of victims of sexual assault are abused by someone they know, making it difficult to report or even acknowledge. So what’s the disconnect here?

Children aren’t taught about bodily autonomy, the concept that your body is entirely your own. A violation of this autonomy can be as simple as someone holding your hand without permission, or something as serious as rape. However, during this year’s legislative session, the Utah Legislature rejected House Bill 177, a measure that would have required consent and sexual violence definitions to be added to sex education. Legislators argued that mentioning the idea of consent would encourage sex, which sponsors of the bill vehemently denied.

The Utah Legislature should reconsider incorporating non-sexual courses on consent and bodily autonomy into school systems so that children can make choices and set their own boundaries early in life. This would in no way promote sex. Instead, it would teach basic concepts of consent that can help children know what is right and wrong earlier.

Utah has recently experienced a 50% increase in sexual abuse imagery cases, where some children are forced or coerced into sending photos of themselves to predators. Children are especially vulnerable to sexual predators, as they often don’t know what abuse looks like, and that abuse can come from people they trust.

In an interview with Emma Zevallos, assistant director of the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault, she addressed the difficulty children face when they are hurt by someone they know. “We want to make sure that we’re protecting the kids … and making sure that they understand that this is their body and no one has the right to touch them or take advantage of them,” she said.

Child victims who come out against family members or important figureheads have no knowledge of bodily autonomy, and therefore are easy targets to manipulate. By educating children about their ability to say “no” to any unwanted action, we can protect them from being easily manipulated by people in power such as family members, teachers, counselors and even peers.

Utah teaches children that abstinence is the best way to prevent pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. However, comprehensive sex education (including topics of consent, contraception, sexual violence resources, and STD protection) is proven to reduce teen pregnancy and reduce the transmission of STDs.

Abstinence-only education has not been shown to decrease the rates at which teens have sexual intercourse. And because Utah refuses to teach consent, the conversation around sexual violence places the blame on victims for not stopping the assault. It silences victims and prevents many from having the vocabulary to describe what happened to them.

Rep. Carol Spackman Moss spoke in an interview about her sponsorship of H.B. 177 and the difficulty in passing a bill that aimed to protect children. “I think it goes back to our personal rights as individuals to have control over our image,” she said, stressing that consent isn’t inherently sexual. She was surprised by how controversial the bill was and wondered why Republicans opposed a bill that would help victims of sexual violence.

I grew up in the South where our sex education is similar to Utah — abstinence-only — with no discussion surrounding sexual abuse or who to report to. And many people, myself included, deal with the effects of that lack of education. Whether it was experiencing sexual assault in a relationship or blurred lines when people started drinking, we had limited knowledge of what control we had over our bodies. As a survivor of sexual violence, I can say that my process to recover and heal would’ve been easier if I had been educated in school and confident in my own rights as a human being.

It’s difficult to establish these boundaries as a teenager when the concept of bodily autonomy was never introduced to you as a child. Teaching children early on the importance of questions such as “Is it okay if I hug you?” or “Make sure you ask your friend if she wants to hold hands” helps them understand not only that their body belongs to them, but that everyone else has boundaries, too. Recognizing the importance of consent helps educate everyone, not just victims, on the effects of sexual violence. It is a crucial step in the prevention of sexual violence and changing the conversation to fault the perpetrator instead of the victim.

Consent isn’t a sexual concept. It’s simply respecting each other’s wishes. It’s saying no to any action that a person inflicts on your body or character. If children learned consent in a non-sexual way, they could not only react to situations where they are at risk but also be less likely to invade someone else’s boundaries later in life.

Utah voters want more sex education, and these expansions should include consent courses for children as well. Introducing these concepts to children is a step Utah must take to protect victims of sexual violence — and prevent it from happening in the first place.

a.hibben@dailyutahchronicle.com

@aya61987269

The post Hibben: We Can Teach Consent Without Mentioning Sex appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

The first SGA meeting of the summer, held virtually, led to robust conversations around ongoing state and international social issues.| File Photo

In the first SGA meeting of the summer, members discuss several resolutions and mental health services on campus for the fall semester.

Senator Chiamaka Chukwu presented and discussed the Resolution in Support of Creating a Menstrual Equity Program that was then passed. The bill would have a portion of the cost to purchase menstrual product machines come from the SGA Presidential or Speaker of the Senate’s budget.

“This bill mainly works on achieving menstrual equity at UH,” Chukwu said. “There are a lot of individuals that suffer from menstrual equity who do not have access to necessary menstrual products that they need and this resolution is moreso to bridge that gap.”

The program also provides free products in women’s and gender-neutral bathrooms on campus. The proposal is aiming to create easy access to the necessary products individuals may need.

In the meeting, Vice President Maryam Alghafir discusses how SGA has previously taken political stances and how this precedent should continue in relation to the recent events surrounding Israel and Palestine.

“Student Government has taken political stances,” Alghafir said. “Just last administration we took stances on Black Lives Matter and on Asian lives, we have constantly taken stances.”

Alghafir then proposed the UH SGA BDS Resolution, which would condemn the actions of Israel against Palestinians, and make an effort to stop SGA’s categorical spending on items that support the Israeli occupation of Palestine or contribute to any of the companies listed by the United Nations.

Alghafir spoke about not letting emotions control the conversation and the importance of facts speaking for themselves.

“As student leaders in our community it is our duty to be caring and to be just representatives and to advocate for our student body and to speak against injustice,” Alghafir said. 

Some, like senator Rogelio Catilla opposed the passing of the BDS Resolution by sharing their experiences and expressed voting against the bill.

“I considered not getting involved in Jewish life at UH because I didn’t want to have harassment,”  Castilla said. “Even at the senate before the senate meeting, I received harassing text messages from a complete stranger about Israel and Palestine. The UH current climate for Jewish students makes me feel concerned about how BDS will increase and intensify these occurrences.”

Castilla further speaks on what the effects of passing the BDS Resolution would have on Jewish students at UH and how it would make them feel.

“It is not for us senators or student government officials to tell other Jewish students how to feel and to tell them what their actions are to make when they feel targeted and unsafe for being Jewish at UH, that is abuse of power,” Castilla said. “If we pass this BDS Resolution our issue will be complicit in making Jewish people at UH feel unsafe.”

Additionally, some guest speakers spoke about mental health at the University to discuss what the process of the Counseling and Psychological Services would look like transitioning into the fall semester. 

“What we will be doing as we transition back to campus over the summer and the fall is we’re going to be offering both in-person sessions and continuing the telehealth sessions,” said CAPS clinical director Rune Mølbak. “We’ll start by offering individual counseling sessions, what we call single therapy sessions and if that goes smoothly then we will also offer groups again on site but we’re going to start by continuing to offer telehealth just to have maximum precaution and for safety.”

news@thedailycougar.com 

—
“SGA meeting addresses international social issues, CAPS services” was originally posted on The Cougar

Today, we will learn about a strong individual who serves her country and community as a veteran and a politician. Meet Senator Tammy Duckworth!

Gallery|3 Photos

The Daily Californian takes home general excellence, individual California Journalism Awards

David McAllister/File

An extraordinary year didn’t stop staffers at The Daily Californian from producing excellent work.

Confronted by a pandemic and the utterly unique challenge of entirely virtual production, student journalists stepped up to the plate from across the country, and the California News Publishers Association’s 2020 California Journalism Awards lent recognition to those efforts.

The Daily Cal won first place in multiple categories for four-year universities, including general excellence — you are now a reader of the best college newspaper in California. 

Former upper management members — editor in chief Sarah Harris, managing editor Amanda Bradford and creative director Alexander Hong — were deservedly recognized for their diligent and inspiring efforts producing “thought provoking, diverse content” and leading the Daily Cal through an unprecedented year.

First-place awards

• General Excellence
• Columns: Cal in Color by Savon Bardell
• Writing: “Grave robbing at UC Berkeley: A history of failed repatriation” by Sage Alexander

Second-place awards

• Online General Excellence
• Writing: “Blockeley University hosts virtual commencement for UC Berkeley class of 2020” by Kaleo Mark

Third-place awards

• Sports Action Photo: Staff photo in “Cal falls to Arizona State despite defensive showcase” by Josh Kahen
• Profile Story: “Foundation in family, football motivate Cal right guard McKade Mettauer” by Jasper Kenzo Sundeen

Fourth-place awards

• Profile Story: “The Obon Society: The radical act of empathy” by Katherine Blesie

Fifth-place awards

Columns: Thinking Outside the Binary by Elaina Guerrero

Jasper Kenzo Sundeen is the editor in chief. Contact him at editor@dailycal.org.

The Daily Californian

The 2021 season presented more challenges than any in recent memory for the University of Utah softball team. Uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic had some wondering if the season could or even should be played. But play they did — finishing the season 22-33, including a 3-21 Pac-12 record. The Utes may not have achieved the team success they expected in the win column, but they appeared to get better every weekend and have a young, talented core coming back in 2022.

While team success eluded them at times, Utah saw three captains graduate and two other players receive postseason recognition from the Pac-12.

Haley Denning – All-Pac-12 Second team

Denning, a redshirt sophomore, spent nearly three years with the Utah program before playing a single game on the home turf of Dumke Family Softball Stadium, or experiencing Pac-12 competition. Denning started all 55 games for the Utes this season, beginning the year in left field before becoming the everyday shortstop in the latter half of the season. 

Serving as the primary lead-off hitter for the Utes, Denning did exactly what a leadoff should, get on base. Slashing .391/.848/.453, Denning was an elite table-setter for Utah all season long with her 75 hits leading the conference. Not only was Denning a menace with her slap-hit approach at the plate, she also led the Pac-12 with 31 stolen bases.

“I got recruited for my speed basically, so it’s whatever the team needs in that moment in order to get the win,” Denning said.

Her 31 stolen bases mark the most steals by a Ute since 2001.

That team-first approach allowed Denning to lead the Utes in several offensive categories including average (.391), runs scored (46), triples (5) & multi-hit games (23). Denning finished the season with only three fielding errors in 166 chances.

Ellessa Bonstrom – All-Pac-12 Third team

In her third season with the Utes, Ellessa Bonstrom continued to show exactly why she has been a mainstay in the Utah lineup throughout her career. A super-utility athlete that spent time at third base, first base, shortstop and outfield has been great defensively and absolutely superb at the plate. Bonstrom started 52 of 55 games for the Utes in the 2021 season.

As the most prodigious long ball threat in the lineup, the Utes leaned on Bonstrom to swing the bat with power and drive in runs from the middle of the order. Fifth in the Pac-12 with 14 home runs, Bonstrom also showed off her extra-base hit ability by notching five doubles and one triple. Bonstrom led the Utes with 42 RBI and a .623 slugging percentage. The 14 home runs were the most for a Utah player since 2009. She also ranked second on the team with 22 walks and 37 runs scored.

Seniors

Alyssa Barrera

The only senior to return after last season was cut short, “super senior” Alyssa Barrera finished her career with the Utes with a great final campaign. As one of two Utes to start all 55 games, the steadying presence of Barrera in centerfield and in the lineup was a luxury as head coach Amy Hogue set the lineup each game.

In 2021 Barrera batted .272, collecting 47 base hits. She finished tied for second on the team with five home runs. Her 36 RBI were also second for the Utes. 

Barrera finished her Utah career No. 6 in program history, playing 230 games. She also ranks No. 6 in career hits (243), No 4 in at-bats (707) and finished second in program history with 10 sacrifice flies. 

Alyssa Palacios

As a team captain, Palacios served an important role as a mentor for a young Utah team; but her role was far more than that.

Palacios saw action in 45 games, including 37 starts for the Utes during the 2021 season. Palacios batted .150 as a senior but reached base at a .299 clip thanks to her 15 walks, good for fourth on the team. She finishes her career with 43 base hits and seven home runs.

Julia Noskin

Were it not for an injury suffered after being hit by a pitch mid-season, Julia Noskin likely would have joined Denning and Barrera in starting all 55 games this year. She served as a pinch-runner in both games that she didn’t start and was an integral part of the second best Pac-12 double-play unit, whether starting at shortstop or second base.

Noskin’s versatility at the plate allowed Hogue the flexibility to deploy her bat up and down the lineup. Her light hitting, contact-based approach resulted in a .270 batting average and 40 hits for the season. Combine that with 24 bases on balls and Noskin finished the season second on the team with a .379 on-base percentage. 

Returning

There will be some big shoes to fill in the Utah softball program with the graduations of Barrera, Palacios and Noskin; but the Utes got a big boost recently when starting catcher Katie Faulk announced she would be returning for one more year.

Faulk will take advantage of the extra year of eligibility allotted by the NCAA after the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. 

“We are extremely happy to announce that Katie Faulk will be coming back for another season,” said head coach Amy Hogue.  “I’m excited that Katie will be serving that role for our team next season. She will be the only player exhausting her eligibility in 2022, so once again, we will have a young team for her to lead. As our catcher, Katie is an important voice for us on the field. Having a degree in hand and four years of experience competing in the Pac-12, we are excited to have her lead us again next year.”

b.preece@dailyutahchronicle.com

@bpreece24

The post Recapping the 2021 Utah Softball Season appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

The American economy I know is built on the efforts and labor of the individual worker. Cashiers at grocery stores, restaurant cooks, bank tellers, firefighters and all other occupations work to drive the economy forward. Without their hard work, society would come to an abrupt halt and fall apart.

As unsung heroes of society, workers’ health and well-being should be prioritized if we want our daily routines to continue normally. That includes caring for and offering help to workers with mental health problems. People often write off mental health as “imaginary” and “all in one’s head.” But when nearly one in five Americans struggle with mental health problems, we need to take this issue seriously — especially in the workplace where we often neglect mental health.

In the United States and many other countries, a stigma surrounds mental health. It’s considered a taboo topic, and people are often looked down upon when they express their mental health struggles. Even with increased awareness on the issue, mental health still remains a health crisis that requires a momentous effort to fix.

In the workplace, mental illness tends to be neglected more often than not. Employers often lack knowledge about mental health issues and fail to address them properly, which reinforces shameful attitudes. For instance, an employee who suffers from a panic attack doesn’t garner the same sympathy as an employee who experiences nausea. The way employers handle stress, people, emotions and work lives all depend on learning more about mental illness.

This failure to adequately assess and treat mental health problems as actual health problems originates from the beliefs of the 1950s and ’60s. Back then, if you had a mental illness, people thought there was something wrong with you as a person. You were negatively labeled, ridiculed, outcasted and in some cases, fired from work. The blatant criminalization of mental health struggles back then shaped today’s views of mental health in the workplace and in society.

But these outdated beliefs and customs shouldn’t hold us back from expanding awareness, treatment and help to individuals experiencing mental health issues. Today’s rates of mental illness are through the roof compared to those of the ‘50s. As this issue gains more attention, we must continue to find solutions towards prioritizing mental health in the workplace.

Luckily, Utah is in the process of creating initiatives and services to combat this health crisis. With 30.1% of Utah adults reporting symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder in 2021, efforts to acknowledge and treat mental health problems continue to increase. The state offers numerous resources, including those for counseling, intervention and support services, help lines and coalitions to help Utahns treat their mental health problems. And Utah companies are following suit, with a few workplaces utilizing the nonprofit Room Here to spark a discussion about mental health in the workplace.

With all these changes, we should be more apt to confront negative attitudes, destigmatize mental health and treat mental health problems head on. In the workplace, employers should also address mental health with as much seriousness as physical ailments and disabilities. This could look like a supervisor sending home a person who’s experiencing an anxiety attack or a post-traumatic stress disorder episode. Or if an employee feels depressed or exhibits signs of an eating disorder, the employer and even the community someone works in can help that person find treatment and focus on their mental wellbeing. This shift in mindset can get people the help they need to thrive in the workplace. And as a society, we can destigmatize and start conversations about the importance of mental health in our daily lives.

For employees to do their best, they need to feel at their best. Treatments, access to programs, and other resources should be readily available in the workplace. In Utah and in the United States, efforts to destigmatize mental health should always be encouraged because our nation can’t thrive without all aspects of health gaining equal attention. As an employee of a Utah company, I want to know that my workplace has my back if I ever experience mental health problems. And every employee in the nation should feel safe and have confidence in their workplace’s ability to care for mental health when the time comes.

c.alexander@dailyutahchronicle.com

@CamdenAlexande1

The post Alexander: Legitimize Mental Health Issues At Work appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

Bits of wisdom for new vegans

Marco Verch/Creative Commons

( Marco Verch under CC BY-SA 2.0.)

Going vegan has become increasingly common, but its popularity doesn’t make the process any less difficult. Whether people are going vegan for ethical and environmental reasons or if it’s just because they just want a change in diet, being vegan takes a lot of discipline and sometimes extra work. As a vegan for almost five years, I can tell you some of the best advice I have personally given and received. Though consulting a dietician or nutritionist can be an important step in deciding if being vegan is right for you, here are some important tips that have made being vegan easier for me.

1. If you have a vegan friend, ask them for advice and help if you need it.

If you have a vegan friend, don’t be afraid to ask them for their wisdom about how they live a vegan lifestyle. If they really care about and enjoy their veganism, they will be glad to help you pursue a vegan diet and show you the ropes. When I first transitioned to a vegan diet, I had a friend that went vegan three months prior who became my vegan guru. She gave me countless tips and was there for me whenever I needed any questions answered. If you don’t have any vegans in your life, check out the vegan subreddit, a supportive community that will help.

2. It is OK to make mistakes.

Like any challenge or experience, it is totally fine to make mistakes. If you accidentally eat some cheese or eggs, you shouldn’t beat yourself up. Even if it’s not exactly an accident, acknowledge that it’s OK and that you’ll keep trying. One mistake or regrettable choice doesn’t mean you aren’t a vegan or that you don’t care about eating a vegan diet. You have to acknowledge that you are going to slip up. I certainly made mistakes and ate some nonvegan items in my few first months. All I did was recognize that I was trying my best and continued on my journey. Don’t give up when you slip up! Continue doing your best, and enjoy the food.

3. You can still get takeout from your favorite restaurants.

Some people worry that when they go vegan, they’ll lose all their favorite food. Fortunately, it’s 2021, and many establishments have vegan options. Chipotle, one of my favorites, has a vegan “meat” option called sofritas and Chipotle gives out free guacamole with any veggie burrito. Additionally, many local Mexican restaurants have a veggie burrito that can be “veganized” by holding the sour cream and cheese. Carl’s Jr. and Burger King also have meatless burgers that can be made vegan by holding the mayo and cheese. Thankfully, you have many more options now and you can keep gobbling food from your favorite restaurants. It takes a bit of work though — at some restaurants, you’ll have to ask specifically for a meal to be made without certain items, and some restaurants are more equipped for these kinds of changes than others. It can be really worth it to ask for vegan substitutes though. You might find a hidden gem at your favorite restaurant by asking for a vegan option.

Going vegan — whether for a month or for life — is tough, coming from experience. However, if you persist and continue to try your best, the journey is worthwhile. For me, becoming vegan was one of the best decisions of my life and I do not regret it. Although I do miss Spam, I do think everyone should at least try going vegan once in their life. I hope that anyone who tries this won’t regret it and that they love going vegan.

Contact Nicholas Clark at ptorres@dailycal.org.

The Daily Californian

Despite efforts by medical schools to increase diversity in their student bodies, the percentage of students that make up medicine’s most underrepresented groups — Black men and Native American and Alaskan Native men and women — has decreased over the last four decades, according to a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine by researchers from the Warren Alpert Medical School. 

The percentage of Black male medical enrollees decreased from 3.1 percent in 1978 to 2.9 percent in 2019. The percentage of Native American and Alaskan Native medical students also decreased during this time period, accounting for less than one percent of the total student body. 

The study additionally found that the percentage of other historically underrepresented groups in medicine — Hispanic men and women, Native Hawai’ian or Pacific Islander men and women and black women — have increased, though these increases have not kept pace with the overall increase of these racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. population.

Using data collected by the Association of American Medical Colleges, researchers analyzed trends in gender and racial makeup of medical schools over the past 40 years. In what the researchers referred to as “a persistent failure to substantially improve the racial and ethnic diversity of the national medical student body,” they found that the percentage of minority medical students remains well under their representation in the national population. 

“We knew the situation would be bad. What we weren’t prepared for is just the utter lack of progress over the time frame we examined,” said co-author of the paper Phillip Grupposo, professor of medical science and former associate dean of medical education at Warren Alpert Medical School. “Medical schools have been saying now for 20 plus years that (diversity of the medical student body) is a priority … but we’re basically at the same starting point we were at in 1980,” he said.

Lead author of the study Devin Morris MD ’21 said that she hopes the results of this study will propel issues of racial and ethnic representation “to the forefront of medical education” and push medical schools to increase efforts to diversify their applicants. 

There is a large body of evidence that suggests that the lack of racial and ethnic diversity in medical schools — and by extension, the medical profession — needs to be addressed to “maximize the effectiveness of the healthcare system,” Grupposo said. According to this California-based study cited by the researchers, racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to consult a physician of the same race or ethnicity. The study also found that Black and Hispanic physicians are more likely to practice in underserved communities of color with a low physician to patient ratio.

“The healthcare workforce would do well and do better if it were more diverse,” said Eli Adashi, professor of medical science and former Dean of Medicine and Biological Sciences at Warren Alpert Medical School. Public health issues that disproportionately affect communities of color, such as vaccine hesitancy, might be more effectively handled by physicians that can better connect to these communities, he added.  

“With the strong empirical evidence we have, it’s actually unethical not to diversify medicine when we know it’s going to improve the quality of care people receive and the quality of doctors (that graduate),” said Elle Lett, a PhD recipient and MD candidate at the University of Pennsylvania who has also conducted research on diversity and inclusion in medical schools. 

“I think that there’s a dissonance between the metrics we use to evaluate people and what makes a good doctor,” Lett said. She added that medical schools should prioritize admitting “those underrepresented individuals that go into primary care settings and actually help improve the quality of care,” as opposed to those with the highest standardized test scores. 

The study calls for medical schools to increase the diversity of applicants by implementing more “holistic review” admissions policies, which would ensure that “balanced consideration is given to experiences, attributes and academic qualifications” and less emphasis is put on an applicant’s Medical College Admission Test score. Additionally, medical schools should invest in local bridge and pipeline programs, which prepare underserved high school and undergraduate students with the educational opportunities to succeed in medical school. 

The Warren Alpert Medical School has been focused on growing existing pipeline programs — like the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Sciences’ Summer Research Internship for underrepresented high school students — and actively developing new ones, according to Joseph Diaz, associate dean for diversity and multicultural affairs for Warren Alpert. Month of Medical School is a pilot program launching this summer, where low-income, first-generation and under-represented Providence undergraduates will have the opportunity to undergo three weeks of guided medical school curriculum, lectures and application workshops.

The Warren Alpert Medical School admissions team also currently works with a task force that has been “charged with looking at our admissions process with a focus on underrepresented students,” Diaz said. 

Changes in medical school admissions will have far-reaching effects on the future of healthcare. “I think that this is not just an issue of equity in education, but health equity,” he said. “Having a more diverse workforce means we better care for our communities.”

The lack of representation of racial and ethnic minorities in medicine is just one symptom of systemic racial inequities “in need of redress at the national level,” Dr. Adashi said.