Honoring Black Patients' Experiences

By Janelle R. Bolden, MD, FACOG

Black History Month is of supreme importance to me. It allows me to honor and emphasize something that I strive to do every single day as a maternal–fetal medicine specialist. My goal is to advocate for all women, especially those in underrepresented minorities. As a Black woman, Black mother, and Black physician, I take my role as caretaker of Black birthing people very seriously. I take joy in celebrating small and large wins with my patients. I equally feel both compassion and pain when going through unexpected or bad outcomes with them.

I strive to model this behavior for fellow colleagues, as well as the many trainees I interact with daily. Honoring Black health and wellness starts by listening to and believing Black patients. We must center these experiences if we are to move forward. We must be deliberate in our thoughts and actions in order to decrease and eliminate the disparities we know exist. Black History Month is a time to rededicate our efforts to achieving this goal.