Structural Competency

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Structural competency is crucial for providing equitable healthcare and significantly impacts current and future practice. Though I am not nearly an expert on the intricacies of structural competency in healthcare, through my somewhat limited experience, I have come to understand that crucial issues stem from a lack of racial and ethnic awareness among healthcare professionals. As a physician, I will strive to become an active listener when interacting and collaborating with patients as well as colleagues of diverse backgrounds to gain more insight and knowledge about their cultures. It is critical to build a rapport that will ensure that each patient feels as though they are being heard, that their needs are being met, and that they are receiving the same quality of care that someone of a different racial or ethnic background would be receiving. …show more content…
I believe that it is important to combat social determinants of health as early as possible by educating young children, especially in low income neighborhoods, about the importance of a healthy diet, staying active, and avoiding drugs and alcohol.. In order to achieve this goal of structural competence, we need to be cognizant about taking action to educate ourselves and others. As healthcare providers, we need to constantly learn and change the way we think. Mentorship is a key component in medicine, and by teaching future residents and medical students that follow me, I will be passing on my knowledge to the next generation in addition to gaining insight from them. This approach to patient care can help prevent burnout by allowing me to treat each patient as an individual, advocating for their health through nuanced