Surveys

 

Physician-scientists are crucial for translating scientific discoveries into medical advancements, but their numbers have been declining over recent decades, limiting innovation and clinical research. Physicians, particularly minority physicians, face a range of barriers, including financial constraints, lack of mentorship, systemic challenges, and underrepresentation. These obstacles hinder career progression and perpetuate a lack of diversity and equity in the field. Minority physicians, in particular, struggle to take on principal investigator roles in clinical research, including clinical trials funded by the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
 

The study led by Tufts CSDD, aims to identify and address the drivers and barriers minority physicians face in entering research careers. By examining their unique challenges and experiences, this research will contribute to the development of new policies and approaches to improve minority physician involvement in clinical trials and research. Ultimately, the study seeks to foster a more diverse and inclusive physician-scientist workforce, strengthen the pipeline for future researchers, and promote health equity in both research and patient outcomes. 

 

Thank you in advance for your participation in this important research effort!  Please click here to take the survey: https://tufts.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8tO8aXdlFSAzzMy?Source=Tufts

 

If you have any questions, please email Madison from the research team at @email.

 

Examining the Impact of Racial Colorblindness Among Healthcare Professionals on Enrollment of Racial Minorities in Clinical Research Studies
 

Racial minorities in the United States (U.S.), despite making up more than 30% of the population are critically underrepresented in clinical trials. Black Americans, despite representing 12% of the population only made up 3% of the study population, while Asian Americans, a group that is often assumed to be overrepresented, only comprised 1% of pivotal drug trials in the U.S.

 

One contributor to the lack of racial representation is racial bias among gatekeepers – referring clinicians - who play a pivotal role in referring patients into clinical trials. Racial bias towards racial minorities can hinder decision-making processes, reducing the perceiver’s perception of trust, likeability, and competence of the target. These forms of racial bias are also likely to manifest in clinical research and affect the quality of healthcare patients receive. One common form of racial bias is racial color-blindness – “explaining racial matters as the outcomes of nonracial dynamics,”  failing to recognize how racial minorities are discriminated against. This view fails to acknowledge the additional burden that racial minority communities face. 
 

This study examines the impact of racial color-blindness on the enrollment of racial minority patients, demonstrating how racial bias can contribute to the racial disparity in clinical research. Study findings will inform clinical research stakeholders, including policy makers, on ways to reduce racially-color blind attitudes that can hinder equitable enrollment of racial minority patients.