Just Medicine: A Cure for Racial Inequality in American Health Care

The Hill-Burton Act, also called the Hospital Survey and Construction Act is a law passed in the US in 1946. The law provides federal funding to build and improve hospitals, requiring these facilities to offer free or low-cost care to those unable to pay. Although it aimed to increase healthcare access in underserved areas, the act also played a role in maintaining racially segregated healthcare facilities. In Just Medicine, Matthew notes that the Hill-Burton Act included a clause that accounted for the continued segregation of certain marginalized populations, who did not have access to the same quality healthcare as other citizens (20-21).

The MCAT is a standard exam required for entrance into medical programs in North America. The exam tests science knowledge as well as critical and analytical skills. In Just Medicine, Matthew cites the MCAT’s relevance in the context of implicit bias in the field of medicine. Matthew notes the possibility of the MCAT including questions regarding diversity and discrimination in the future, asserting that such questions will still not address the systemic issues in healthcare.