Alicia Calixte

Dr.Green

ENGW 104-17 Writing, Literacy, and Discourse

30 September 2016

Literacy in the Medical World

The eight men who are survivors of the syphilis study at Tuskegee are a living link to a time not

so very long ago that many Americans would prefer not to remember, but we dare not forget. It

was a time when our nation failed to live up to its ideals, when our nation broke the trust with

our people that is the very foundation of our democracy

Bill Clinton, Apology for Study Done in Tuskegee 1997

It took 65 years for these victims to receive an apology. 600 African American patients

were involved in a study of Syphilis by the US government without their consent. 399 men were

injected with Syphilis by medical professionals leading to the fatality of at least 28 men who did

not receive proper treatment for the disease. They were lied to and mistreated by the very people

who were supposed to work towards improving health for all American citizens. This is a very

clear example of medical racism. This unfortunately led to many consequences including a

development of mistrust between the black community and the medical community. We could

not trust the community whose very mission was to provide care to all people in need. There is

not a simple solution to these issues however, there are things that can be used to help people

take precaution. One thing that can help accomplish this is literacy. Through the practice of

literacy, there can be change towards the misconceptions some black patients have about the

medical field and the mentalities some workers in health communities possess.
 Certain misconceptions some black patients holds towards the health field can be

eradicated through awareness of medical corruption. With this awareness, black patients can take

steps to prevent being taken advantage of. There is a lot of dishonesty in the health field that

unfortunately many people are not aware of. This has lead to many patients, especially people of

color, to being taken advantage of or being mistreated. It was inevitable for black patients to

form worries and dismay towards the health field. How could you trust a community that uses

people like you for experiments without consent? Therefore, it is important that black patients

acquire is some knowledge on medical racism and know what to do if they experience

discrimination. They need to be aware of the very community whose supposed goal is to care for

them. Unfortunately, no matter where you go in society, there will always be people who will

make poor and inappropriate judgements about minorities. This is no different in the medical

world. It is inevitable that blacks will face the possibility of prejudice in medical settings. Black

patients must develop knowledge in their health rights and what to do when they face

discrimination in a health setting. These literacies will not only help them know their rights but,

it will help defuse certain misinterpretations about medical field.

Likewise, medical professionals must also be aware of mistrust that black patients

have towards medical professionals. Though this is not knowledge given in medical school

through textbooks and lectures, medical professionals must have somewhat of an understanding

of the fears blacks have. If they for example, learn more on medical racism and other stories,

they would not only get a better understanding in the concerns but also get an understanding of

the corruption in the the medical field. However, it is essential they get the proper academic

literacies first. This will create a set foundation of how to communicate with other and analyze

issues they come across correctly. The necessary skills of academic literacy are also described in
Shirley Logans essay, Why College English? She describes that the goal of College English

ought to provide students with communicative skills that enable them to analyze rhetorical effect

and produce rhetorically effective texts College English is in the best position of all the

academic disciplines to improve students ability to engage with the defining texts of their lives,

to connect and street (Logan 2006). All medical workers will have to take an english class

whether it is in their undergraduate or graduate schooling. It's usually is the last time an english

class can teach them those skills. With these skills and outside literacy practice, they can learn to

understand the perspective of black patients and try to help diminish these views. This can also

help them recognize the faults of the very system they are trying to work for.

Overall, there will be two concepts that I will need to understand as someone who is a

person of color and someone who is trying to have a health profession like nursing. I need to not

only understand the medical discrimination and corruption but, I also need to understand how I

can help diminish the fears and concerns of black patients. My development in literacy is

necessary in where I want to go in my profession. I want to be able to change certain ideas that

Black people have about the health community and provide the medical help needed in the Black

community. Literacy can help raise awareness on these issues and help people learn how to make

connections to these issues and solutions that can help minimize them as well.
 Bibliography

"Apology For Study Done in Tuskegee." Apology For Study Done in Tuskegee. N.p., 1997. Web.

30 September 2016

Logan, Shirley Wilson. "Why College English?" Visions and Cyphers: Explorations of Literacy,

Discourse, and Black Writing Experiences. Ed. David F. Green. N.p.: Inprint Editions,

2016. 1-175. Print.

Royster, Jacqueline. "When the First Voice You Hear Is Not Your Own." Visions and Cyphers:

Explorations of Literacy, Discourse, and Black Writing Experiences. Ed. David F. Green.

N.p.: Inprint Editions, 2016. 1-175. Print.

"The Tuskegee Study: 40 Years of Unethical Medical Experimentation." Publishing the Long

Civil Rights Movement RSS. Alison Shay, 27 Oct. 2012. Web. 30 Sept. 2016.

"The Tuskegee Timeline." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, 19 Feb. 2016. Web. 30 Sept. 2016.