Gene Denton 30

There is a significant need for black healthcare workers in the community. This need is driven by several factors, including historical and ongoing racism and discrimination in healthcare, and the need for culturally competent care is growing. 

Historically, black people have faced discrimination and mistreatment in healthcare settings, including being excluded from medical schools and healthcare professions, being denied medical treatment, and being subjected to unethical medical experimentation. This legacy of discrimination and mistrust has contributed to a lack of trust between black communities and the healthcare system, leading to disparities in health outcomes and a lower likelihood of seeking medical care.

Studies have shown that black patients are more likely to receive a lower quality of care than white patients, leading to worse health outcomes and higher rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. This is partly due to a lack of access to healthcare services, but also due to systemic biases and stereotypes among healthcare providers.

Having more black healthcare workers can help to address these disparities and improve access to culturally competent care for black patients. Black healthcare workers are more likely to diagnose and relate to black patients. 

After high school I plan to study radiology in an attempt to become an MRI technician. I am planning to attend a 16-month program to complete an associate’s degree in radiology.  There are not very many people of color in the field of radiology. I hope to add to the number. Black /  African American people hold only 7.3% with whites averaging 66.6% men and women included for the percentage of radiologist techs in the US.. For the US to have 50 states this is not a lot at all.  The demand for MRI techs is driven by several factors, including Aging population: As the population ages, there is an increased demand for medical services, including diagnostic imaging procedures. Advancements in medical technology also play a factor with: MRI technology being a safe way to view the body MRI is expanding into new areas, such as cardiac and neurological imaging. More people are becoming aware of the importance of early detection of diseases, which has led to an increase in demand for diagnostic imaging services. The increase in chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes is further leading to a higher demand for medical imaging procedures, including MRI. Due to these factors, there is a shortage of MRI techs in many areas, and the demand is expected to continue to grow in the future. This presents an excellent opportunity for those interested in pursuing a career in healthcare as an MRI tech.

As the demand for MRI techs grows the percentage of Black technologists is not going up, It’s important that the black community has healthcare workers that can provide for them in all areas with the need for these scans increasing. My future education will help further the impact of growing the number of black healthcare workers. With me having a degree in radiology I can impact the need for more black woman healthcare workers in my community. When people come to a hospital or clinic to get imaging done they will feel comforted to know that someone like them cares and is available to help them determine what is wrong with them. Since black patients are more likely to receive a lower quality of care than white patients, leading to worse health outcomes and higher rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer It is a very big impact on the community to have more black health care workers so that black people can get accurate care and better treatment and I hope to play a part in that role.