Race and age have played a significant role in the medical care that people experience. I have seen the different treatments people have dealt with within the medical industry. Unlike young white men, the old, other races, and genders have a significantly more challenging time making their medical concerns heard and taken seriously. My friend is an African-American woman who had a severe car accident over a year ago. After she showed me the image of her car listed below, I questioned how she survived since her vehicle was completely destroyed. Although I am thrilled she is okay now, seeing that she still has physical and emotional trauma and debt from that accident is upsetting. Doctors and police officers pushed her aside, believing her symptoms were insufficient to help immediately. A police officer was called to the scene by a bystander. The officer was not helpful and did not advise her to get to the hospital even though she had visible open wounds all over her body, which should have been taken more seriously. The police officer drove her and left her at her house as she was weak and bleeding severely. When her male African-American partner found her, he immediately took her to a hospital, but the medical staff did not take her legitimate concerns and symptoms seriously. My friend and her partner kept fighting for her voice to be heard because she kept getting worse with new disturbing symptoms. She went to the hospital often and was sent home with little help each time. The last time she visited the hospital, she had extremely concerning symptoms. While they were there, her partner pleaded, and once the medical team listened, they realized how bad her symptoms were. They flew her to another hospital for significant surgery since that place did not have the facilities to do this surgery on her abdomen. If left untreated any longer, she could have died. I was so upset and frustrated that the hospital kept dismissing her when she had many visible physical issues. Her partner would call me in a panic because he felt so helpless when trying to get the hospital to care for her. I was outraged because I understood feeling helpless since my grandmother had died from medical negligence years prior. Deciding whose lives are more important based on race, age, and gender is a prevalent issue. The medical industry is vital, and how they are trained can determine someone’s fate and leave an impact on their loved ones. The medical industry needs to improve to help improve our society’s future.

This picture above is the car that was wrecked during the accident.