WMJ Vol 123 Issue 2: Perceptions of the Minority Tax Experienced by Faculty and Students Underrepresented in Medicine at the University of Wisconsin

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The minority tax in academic medicine can be defined as the additional responsibilities placed on underrepresented in medicine (URiM) faculty, staff, and students in the name of diversity. Often this looks like participating in additional diversity committees, recruitment efforts, and mentorship activities. These extra responsibilities often are not recognized, not included in promotions, and take time from other clinical, research, and traditional scholarly responsibilities.

Objectives: There is a significant gap in the literature examining the experiences of URiM-identifying faculty and students in relation to the minority tax. Our goal was to do a quality improvement project to explore this gap through interviewing URiM-identifying faculty and conducting focus groups with URiM-identifying students, with the goal of making recommendations to help reduce the minority tax burdens to this community.

Methods: A scoping literature review on the minority tax burden in academic medicine was used to inform the development of questions to use in focus groups of URiM University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (UWSMPH) students and interviews of URiM UWSMPH faculty members. After development of a facilitation guide, we conducted three 1-hour focus groups with 14 students who identified as URiM and did eight 30-minute interviews with faculty who identified as URiM. A codebook was generated using inductive analysis after reviewing transcripts. Coding was performed independently with 2 separate coders in order to ensure inter-coder reliability.

Results: Ninety-one percent of students and 62.5% of faculty endorsed experiencing the minority tax at UWSMPH. Faculty also reported increasing feelings of support due to UWSMPH programs that support URiM faculty. Students reported the minority tax being central to their role as URiM students. Both students and faculty reported that the additional burdens of the minority tax took time away from traditional scholarly activities that were essential for promotion (faculty) or residency (students).

Conclusions: The minority tax burden experienced by URiM faculty and students may negatively affect their careers, as they note spending more time on activities that may not be valued for promotion. It is essential to address these burdens in order to achieve equity within the medical institution.

Intended Audience

The intended audience for this continuing education activity is healthcare professionals caring for the people of Wisconsin and beyond.

Learning Objectives

As a result of this journal-based activity, learners will be able to:

  1. Define the minority tax in academic medicine.
  2. Summarize the study findings about the minority tax burden experienced by underrepresented in medicine faculty and students.  
  3. Discuss how the study findings relate to the learner’s past or current experience in the academic environment.
Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.00 University of Wisconsin–Madison Continuing Education Hours
    • 1.00 Approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
Registration opens: 
08/15/2024
Course expires: 
08/14/2025
Cost:
$0.00
Part of: 
Wisconsin Medical Journal Volume 123
Rating: 
0

FACULTY DISCLOSURE

It is the policy of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Interprofessional Continuing Education Partnership (ICEP) to identify, mitigate and disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies* held by the  speakers/presenters, authors, planners, and other persons who may influence content of this accredited continuing education (CE).  In addition, speakers, presenters and authors must disclose any planned discussion of unlabeled/unapproved uses of drugs or devices during their presentation.

For this accredited continuing education activity all relevant financial relationships have been mitigated and detailed disclosures are listed below.

Name of IndividualIndividual's Role in Activity

Financial Relationship Disclosure

Discussion of
Unlabeled/Unapproved
Uses of Drugs/Devices
in Presentation?

Marianna Shershneva, MD, PhDAccreditation SpecialistNo relevant relationships with ineligible companies to discloseNo
Eden F. Charles, BAAuthorNo relevant relationships with ineligible companies to discloseNo
Sharon-Rose Nartey, MDAuthorNo relevant relationships with ineligible companies to discloseNo
Elizabeth A. Felton, MD, PhDAuthorNo relevant relationships with ineligible companies to discloseNo
Elizabeth M. Petty, MDAuthorNo relevant relationships with ineligible companies to discloseNo
Paul W. Nannis, MSWReviewerNo relevant relationships with ineligible companies to discloseNo
Ani Saryan Kopf, MDReviewerNo relevant relationships with ineligible companies to discloseYes
Fahad Aziz, MDEditorNo relevant relationships with ineligible companies to discloseNo
Cassie Meffert, PA-C, MPHReviewerNo relevant relationships with ineligible companies to discloseNo
David Dwyer, PhD, RN, NE-BCReviewerNo relevant relationships with ineligible companies to discloseNo
Babak Tehrani, MDReviewerNo relevant relationships with ineligible companies to discloseNo

*Ineligible companies are those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on, patients.

The ACCME does not consider providers of clinical services directly to patients to be ineligible companies.

Discloser List CME Internal Report

Accreditation

Accreditation Statement

Jointly Accredited Provider LogoIn support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP and the Wisconsin Medical Journal.  The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.


Credit Designation Statements

American Medical Association (AMA)

The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP designates this journal-based CE activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Continuing Education Units

The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP, as a member of the University Professional & Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), authorizes this program for 0.1 continuing education units (CEUs) or 1 hour.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.00 University of Wisconsin–Madison Continuing Education Hours
    • 1.00 Approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

Cost:
$0.00
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