Personal narrative and an African-American perspective on medical ethics

J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2005;33(3):371-81.

Abstract

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in how medical professionals develop and articulate a moral foundation on which to base a way of leading their professional lives. In this essay, however, the author focuses more narrowly on how black physicians do it. The author explains that black physicians confront a unique set of circumstances and experiences that define reality for black doctors and other professionals from non-dominant groups in the United States. From this particular background, black physicians go on to develop a unique perspective on medical ethics. The author uses his own narrative to demonstrate his argument and to show its application to a current debate on the ethics of forensic psychiatry practice.

MeSH terms

  • Anecdotes as Topic
  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Barbados
  • Black or African American / psychology*
  • Ethics, Clinical
  • Ethics, Medical*
  • Forensic Psychiatry / ethics*
  • Forensic Psychiatry / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Moral Obligations
  • Narration
  • Physicians / psychology
  • Physicians / standards*
  • Prejudice
  • Professional Practice / ethics
  • Race Relations
  • Religion and Psychology
  • United Kingdom
  • United States