🩺 PULSE CHECK: More Than a Seat at the Table – Why Black Representation in Healthcare Matters

How increasing Black representation in healthcare is key to improving outcomes, restoring trust, and closing systemic gaps.

By Alwin Marshall-Squire

Representation is not just symbolic—it saves lives. In healthcare systems across Canada, the Caribbean, the U.S., and the U.K., the underrepresentation of Black physicians, nurses, therapists, and healthcare executives continues to fuel disparities in care, trust, and outcomes.

This week in Pulse Check, we explore why representation in healthcare matters at every level—from the classroom to the clinic—and what steps are being taken to build a more equitable system for Black communities.

The Reality: A Representation Gap

In Canada, Black people make up approximately 3.5% of the population, yet estimates suggest they represent less than 2% of physicians. In the U.S., Black doctors account for about 5.7% of physicians, despite Black Americans making up over 13% of the population.

These disparities are even more glaring in medical leadership, academic medicine, and specialist care.

In the Caribbean, while the majority of patients are Black, leadership roles in public health, research, and global health collaborations are still often dominated by non-Black experts or foreign institutions.

The Impact on Patient Care

Multiple studies show that when Black patients are treated by Black healthcare professionals, they experience:

• Better communication and shared understanding.

• Higher rates of preventative screenings.

• Greater trust in care providers and treatment plans.

• Lower maternal mortality rates for Black mothers.

A landmark study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that Black patients seen by Black doctors were more likely to agree to critical preventative services.

Lack of representation also contributes to misdiagnoses, overlooked symptoms, and racial bias in treatment—issues that have been widely documented in both Canadian and Caribbean health systems.

Addressing the Pipeline Problem

Barriers to representation in healthcare start long before medical school. Systemic racism in education, lack of mentorship, economic barriers, and admissions biases all play a role.

To tackle this, initiatives such as:

• The Black Medical Students’ Association of Canada (BMSAC)

• The University of the West Indies outreach programs

• Black physician mentorship networks

…are working to create clearer, supported pathways for Black youth into health careers.

From Representation to Transformation

Representation alone is not enough—experts emphasize the need to pair it with:

• Anti-racism training for all healthcare providers.

• Policy change to embed equity in healthcare systems.

• Community-driven research and leadership.

• Data collection disaggregated by race to monitor outcomes.

Only by ensuring Black voices are present—and heard—throughout the healthcare system can we begin to repair mistrust and close the health gaps affecting Black communities globally.

This is your Pulse Check.

Pulse Check: Black Health Weekly is Vision Newspaper’s weekly column on health, healing, and equity in Black communities across the Caribbean, Canada, Africa, and the diaspora.
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