Man nearly dies on flight because crew don't believe black woman is a doctor

[MoltenLasagne]

Dr Tamika Cross was on a flight when a man needed emergency care - when she tried to help she was told to sit down, ignored and then when she insisted she was a doctor, was asked for her credentials before being allowed to help.

I wish I could say I'm shocked but I'm not - this is what intersectional feminism is supposed to be about. There are now a collection of stories of women doctors being ignored for men with lesser qualifications, and non white women being treated with complete contempt.

http://www.idealmedicalcare.org/female-physicians-told-to-sit-down-shut-up-and-get-out-of-the-way-during-emergencies-as-patients-nearly-die/

Sorry, I missed the If.

But it doesn't change my point.

How would a layman know which ID is legit and which isn't?

Perhaps take it up with the airline hera, i havent at any point said that its a good idea to ask for id

Personally i think its a dumb rule

Ill take my chances with any person claiming to be a doctor if something goes horribly wrong on a plane

But even with the dumb rule in place...the airline were not discriminating because she couldn't prove she was a doctor, just on the basis of her skin and possibly sex

They ought to have some sort of obscure question which only a medic would know “what sort of illness is Evans Syndrome”. And change the question on a regular basis. Cabin crew are told the answer and if a passenger can answer it correctly then they’re allowed to go for it.....suppose you could still have a case of someone who’s specialised in dermatology, etc looking blank I guess!

I believe this happening, and given the amount of news I've seen at the moment, I can't see that racism is improving in the US right now.

Mind you, I've worked all over the world, and perfectly lovely seeming people can come out with some gobsmacking stuff when it comes to other races to their own - I've watched people be horribly rude to people because of their race, and then turn around to me and be sweetness and light over the same issue. I've seen adverts specifying which types of immigrants are allowed to rent a flat, and I've been rejected myself because I wasn't the right race.

When you then intersect it with sex, well, we all have so many stories of people not believing us when we say something don't we? Especially professionally - I've lost count of how often I have to assert myself in ways that the men around me don't.

I bet she's not getting a decent apology/thanks either.

TBH, this is why I'm resisting moving to the US, and given any other choice, don't fly on a US airline.

Calm down Rufus! I never said you did!

Oh sorry hera

I honestly didnt realise my post wasnt calm

Thats why i had the smiley there and everything

Never mind

And rereding my post i dont recall saying that you had said that i thought it was a good idea

Maybe im overdoing it with the smiles...

That might be it

(Im at it again... instead?)

And yes this is what intersectional feminism means to me - how women are multiply disadvantaged when it comes to being say, female and black, or female and poor, or female and disabled.

Indeed, this is what I always undersood intersectional to mean, it seems to have been bastardized fairly recently. Like many many words/concepts

Proof of membership of a professional body such as the NMC or Royal Colleges or ID from a hospital

So, someone is dying, a trained doc steps fwd to assist but is on hols and doesn't have an ID, so you stop him helping whilst patient dies?

Remind not to use the Underground.

This is awful for the women who have been disrespected but also horrifying as someone who is not a doctor or nurse etc. but could potentially fall ill on a plane or the underground. They'd let me die just to be sexist and racist? They'd let me die unless they can see a bit of meaningless paper that could be forged? Jesus christ

In the UK, you can arrange to have your passport marked as being a medical doctor, though many medics either don't know that, don't bother, or are worried about getting sued. And that's still only one nationality.

This sounds like both racism and sexism in action. Two levels of disadvantage going downright synergistic.

And every female doctor I know can tell you tales of people refusing to believe they're a doctor. Even when you're in the hospital, wearing a white coat, with a stethoscope round your neck, a large name badge saying doctor, have properly introduced yourself, and treated the patient.

And there are male white middle class doctors think that they're now the disadvantaged group, and that women and BME people have it so much easier.

I've clearly been fortunate in that I've never had my work ID on me for my "good samaritan" acts but have been 'allowed' to help. I have the benefit of being white, maybe that's it. 🙄 I've never been asked for my GMC number but could easily give it.

My defense union fees cover being sued for good samaritan acts - I'd imagine it's very stressful but personally wouldn't use it as a reason not to help.

@nocoolnamesleft
How do you get a passport marked? Friend is a Dr and can’t find any infor on this!

Sadly unshocking collection of reports, I agree with others, clear examples of intersections of oppression in action.

How do we work to stop this though? Aside from sharing the stories and raising awareness.

Trying to remember - first got it put on 20 years ago when I qualified, and it's automatically gone on subsequent ones. So they may even have changed the rules since...

I'm very surprised that TFL won't accept help from anyone in emergency situations without seeing credentials.

What do they do about people who help or are already helping before TFL staff turn up? Stop CPR - I need to see your work ID - oh you don't have it - OK then step away then...

Just asked DH who works for TFL what they have been advised to do if someone keels over. He says they haven't been given training around that.

He's not on the tubes though.

But is in a role where there is contact with public who are using services & goes to emergency type stuff.

I would have thought that any Walter Mitty types would be more likely to carry a fake doctor ID everywhere than a real doctor is likely to carry their ID off duty, and the Walts would be more likely to be loudly elbowing their way to the scene waving their knocked up ID, because this the type of thing they fantasise about.

I find it worrying that people are essentially advised / discouraged from helping.

Like the person upthread who doesn't respond when the call goes out as it's more hassle that it's worth - I think this goes on quite a lot TBH. You get little thanks / might get sued / people asking to see your documentation when you're in the midst of trying to staunch a wound or whatever.

I would have thought that on a flight or a tube the chance of there being some pretender there is lower than the chance of it not going well without any assistance when it has got to the point where that's requested.

What has happened to our societies?

I remember when this happened and I have to say I wasn’t in the least bit surprised. Outraged, yes, but not surprised.

I face enough bias and discrimination as a Caucasian woman, I can only imagine what it’s like for women of colour.

Re credentials, I have a photographic ID card from the Law Society

I don’t and I’ve never even heard of it. I’m 7pqe! Do you apply specifically? I’ve just got a crappy certificate that I don’t even bother printing.

Having said that, female BAME doctors should consider carrying the following credentials in order to be taken seriously:
a tin of white paint and a stick on moustache. If it would help them get past the idiots who probably don't understand words like anaesthetist.

@luna I'm a paramedic and I'm just wondering how poorly one of your customer's would need to be before you backed down and stopped preventing me from doing my job if I couldn't show you my credentials?