Microaggressions and Harassment Panel
A big thank you to our fantastic panelists and everyone who attended our Microaggressions and Harassment Workshop! We were joined by Associate Dean of Student Affairs Dr. Dent, Chair of Surgery Dr. Kibbe, Assistant Professor of Pathology Dr. Qian, and Women’s Center Program Coordinator Shelley Gist.
We discussed stock phrases when encountering microaggressions, such as asking, “Did I hear you correctly?” or simply saying, “I understand this is probably not what you intended, but this is not appropriate for the workplace.” We discussed gently correcting patients and more firmly correcting colleagues about using correct professional titles. Because it is often most effective when someone else intervenes to correct behavior, we should be aware of when we see others experiencing microaggressions and step in if possible. In general, women tend to undervalue themselves and ask for more work and less pay than men, so it is important to research salaries before going into a negotiation. Dr. Kibbe recommended Linda Babcock’s Women Don’t Ask: The High Cost of Avoiding Negotiation–and Positive Strategies for Change. Finally, we discussed the importance of identifying mentors we can trust to go to with issues related to bias. Allie Shad is a psychiatric social worker and wellness coach for both the medical school and graduate school.
