Call to Action, YSM White Coat Die-In 12/10

[SNMA.LMSA] Call to Action, YSM White Coat Die-In 12/10

“The physicians are the natural attorneys of the poor, and social problems fall to a large extent within their jurisdiction.”—Rudolf Virchow

The events in Ferguson, Cleveland, New York, and elsewhere and the non-indictments of police officers in the shooting deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, John Crawford, and Darrien Hunt have ignited a nation-wide social movement. We are at an important point in the national conversation about social justice, institutional racism, police behavior, and the status of people of color in the United States. 

As a medical school, we stand in a unique position to join the conversation about these issues and to acknowledge the position of medicine within institutional racism. However, our school’s core curriculum lacks training that would allow us to redress social problems, which invariably affect our patients’ health. It is therefore up to us to stop, think, and decide how we will put an end to this egregious infringement of human rights. 

To this end, I urge you to attend the YSM White Coat Die-In, taking place on Wednesday, December 10, in front of 333 Cedar St at 12 PM. This demonstration is part of the National White Coat Die-Inhappening in medical schools all across the country. Let’s become part of the ongoing grassroots protest across the country that have shut down highways, closed down train stations, and that have made the United States reflect on its racial injustices. 

In solidarity, 

Herbert Castillo Valladares, YSM I 

SNMA/LMSA Political Advocacy Chair

Robert Rock

Yale School of Medicine 

M.D. Candidate, Class of 2017

robert.rock@yale.edu 

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Student National Medical Association / Latino Medical Student Association

Co-President