Celebrating Black History Month: Making History at Jackson Today and Paving the Way for Leaders of Tomorrow
Every February, Jackson Health System celebrates Black History Month by paying tribute to the Black community’s contributions to health care and South Florida.
In addition to celebrating trailblazers who helped lay the system’s foundation, it also honors those making history today. Those providing compassionate care at the bedside; rehabilitating, empowering, and educating patients and the community; working on innovative solutions to address disparities in care; and inspiring younger generations to get involved in medicine.
“Black History Month is a celebration of all the struggles and accomplishments we’ve made in this country, and for the current generation to have inspiration and see what they’re capable of, despite the barriers to success,” said Kyle Sherrod, DO, vice chief of anesthesiology at Jackson West Medical Center.
Joseph Durandis, MD, a family medicine physician, hospitalist, and director of palliative care at Jackson North Medical Center, agreed. He said the focus on the Black community throughout the month is essential to inspire and show the next generation what is possible.
“Black History Month can be a spark to inspire role models who young people can emulate,” he said. “For you to do something, most people have to see it, and they don’t see enough role models like Black physicians in the community.”
Dr. Sherrod knows firsthand the importance of role models. A mentor he met in college inspired him to pursue a medical career.
“I met a Black physician who was the director of a local health system in north Philadelphia, and he mentioned I should take the MCAT and that I’d be a good fit for medicine,” he said. “He became a good mentor to me. I don’t think I would have been able to have honest conversations about my dreams, goals, and concerns with someone who was not familiar with my cultural upbringing.”
One area Dr. Sherrod’s mentor helped him with was addressing the costs of a medical career, such as paying for medical school itself.
“Medicine is probably one of the most rewarding fields anyone can do as a profession, and more people should be able to see themselves in it,” he said. “It gives you an opportunity to help people and is intellectually stimulating. However, there is a high opportunity cost, which can scare people away. Yet, there are people in medicine who come from modest backgrounds. It’s something attainable for everyone.”
Jacqueline Jackson, director of nursing at Jackson Memorial Perdue Medical Center, agreed. She also did not consider a career in medicine until she joined the military 27 years ago. Now, she said she is encouraged to see more diversity throughout health care.
“I see us being more a part of the whole system now. We’re now doctors, anesthesiologists, nursing leaders, surgeons,” she said. “It took a long time to get here.”
Dr. Durandis agreed. In addition to caring for patients, he serves as a program director for the Borinquen Medical Center’s Family Medicine Residency Program, where he helps train and mentor many minority physicians. He also regularly opens his clinic to high school and college students interested in medicine so they can shadow a physician and learn more about the field.
Dr. Durandis hopes more Black physicians and medical professionals will do the same.
“My hope is to continue to inspire young people so they can choose that path, stay in the community, and make a lasting difference,” he said.
Addressing Disparities in Care
More diversity in medicine is also critical to addressing health disparities, which are preventable differences in care, outcomes, and diseases experienced by underserved or disadvantaged groups.
For example, Black women are more likely to experience life-threatening conditions before and after giving birth, compared to white women. African Americans are also 50 percent more likely to have a stroke as compared to their white adult counterparts, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health.
Baltany Michel, an occupational therapist at Jackson North, sees this firsthand.
“People are lacking education and knowledge – we need to do better,” she said. “When we have patients in our rehab program, we’re educating them and teaching their families about the causes of stroke, prevention, lifestyle modifications, and warning signs.”
Acknowledging cultural differences when treating and talking to patients is also key.
“You have to have cultural competency in health care. If you don’t have sensitivity for the people, especially for Black people who may be skeptical of the healthcare system, they will remain skeptical, and that can impact their care and overall health,” Dr. Durandis said.
Jackson, Perdue Medical Center’s director of nursing, agreed.
“Disparities are minimized when you have representation from different cultures,” she said. “The good thing about Jackson is there is representation from almost every culture – literally – and I think that’s what makes the care as good as it is, and it keeps getting better.”
Supporting Patient Care
Cloretha Gibbs, director of Environmental Services at Jackson North, was always interested in medicine, but followed her passion for the cleaning industry to a career in hospitality, where she worked for 30 years.
She returned to health care in 2022 for a job opportunity at Jackson North, allowing her to combine her experience in the cleaning industry and her interest in health care.
“When I got my chance to work in the hospital – I saw that I could provide services to patients while ensuring a safe and clean environment. I got a dual blessing to do both,” she said. “And it’s been rewarding ever since.”
As a rising leader, she was inspired to see Black professionals in leadership roles at Jackson North, and sees Black History Month as a chance to celebrate those who paved the way for her to become a Black female leader.
“My hope is people will continue to be open to change and look at people not just for the color of their skin, but what people can bring to the table,” Gibbs said. “As long as we are able to treat everyone as an individual, we will continue to trend forward and bridge that gap. As I witness a transition taking place, I’m encouraged by what the future holds.”