Dying to be Competent

“Dying to be Competent” details Cottam’s experience with healthcare discrepancies in her experience giving birth attributed to the fact that she’s a woman of color.  Cottom describes having her physical pain be completely dismissed by healthcare professionals and claims that this resulted in the  tragic consequence of her daughter dying shortly after birth. Through her personal story, Cottom illustrates the inequalities within healthcare due to structural racism, and the grave lack of care women of color too often receive. This essay could be used in classes to further investigate the structural forces within our society and how they are subsequently intertwined with healthcare as well as how it creates marginalization and lack of care within the healthcare system. Additionally it could be used to discuss the role of unconscious biases and stereotypes within the medical field.  



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