AANHPI Heritage Month
May is AANHPI Heritage Month. The AAFP believes medicine should be reflective of the diverse populations it serves, which will help ensure every patient receives the high-quality care they deserve. So, while we value our Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander members throughout the year, this month we’ll highlight and celebrate their achievements and contributions. We’ll also feature tools and resources to help members promote health equity and provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
Members in Action
"In caring for our patients, families, and communities, it is so important that we, as a body of family physicians, acknowledge heritage. It's what makes a people unique, it defines and unites these communities, it helps us better understand the needs of these communities – the social injustice and health inequities. A Hawaiian proverb, or ōlelo noʻeau, that reflects this is: ʻIke aku, ʻike mai, kōkua aku, kōkua mai; pela iho lā ka nohona ʻohana.' Basically, family life requires an exchange of mutual help and recognition, what impacts one impacts all, and goals must be achieved by collaboration and cooperation." – Dr. Nicole Mahealani Lum, DO, Hawaii AFP Delegate
"Currently in my residency practice, I see a large percentage of Mandarin speakers, and so ... a large proportion of immigrant health – or Asian American health, which is my specific expertise – to me comes from a knowledge of language, a knowledge of culture, and also a knowledge of different traditional healing practices. And so, it's something that I have gotten the privilege of exploring and developing during my residency. And it's definitely something I want to find a community in my future practice where I can put that into practice and kind of develop that expertise of what immigrant Asian American health looks like. " – Dr. Bright Zhou, Resident Chair, AAFP National Conference
"It is so important to have representation by AANHPI physicians and individuals so we can represent our values, our patients, and our communities. And I encourage you to find opportunities to lead in your profession and your community." – Dr. Ravi Shah, MD, MBA, MPH, FAAFP
RLS Speaker Focused on Dismantling Racism in Medical Education
Jenny Wang, MD, FAAFP, hopes to tear down walls of structural racism in medical education and create a safe space for learners of color.
Program Director Has Passion For Mentoring, Leadership
Grace Chen Yu, M.D., FAAFP, continues to take on new leadership opportunities after finding her hidden passion in residency education and teaching.
Student Leader Hopes to Match Grandfather’s Impact
Catalyzed by the work of her late grandfather, Olivia Dhaliwal, a fourth-year student at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, is charting her own path of leadership in family medicine.
A Focus on Workforce Diversity
A diverse workforce equals a healthier population. Studies show that patient satisfaction and health outcomes are improved when health providers and their patients have concordance in their racial, ethnic, and language backgrounds. Check out the EveryONE Project, part of the AAFP's Center for Diversity and Health Equity, for more information.