'I am feeling hopeful': trailblazer Dr. Khalilah Gates paves the way for Black women in medicine
By Edie Kasten
CHICAGO (CBS)-- In honor of Women's History Month, CBS 2's examining the challenges and triumphs of women in medicine.
Dr. Khalilah Gates is a critical care physician and trailblazer, who talks about the changes needed for more Black women to follow in her footsteps.
"I decided I wanted to be a doctor at a very young age," She said. "Stories have it that at six years old, I made the declaration."
Gates had great support.
"My parents served as my role models. They instilled in my sister and I this idea that if we put our minds to something, it might be difficult but we could do it," She said.
After graduating from Spellman College, Gates attended Loyola School of Medicine, where she was one of two Black women in her class. She says it didn't impact her that much because she knew she was there to get her M.D.
"All the extra noise that sometimes comes from being an 'only,' you either hear it and keep going or you hear it and get stopped by it," She said. "I chose to hear it and be aware of it but keep going."
But Gates says even years later, systematic factors are keeping women, particularly women of color from moving up in medicine.
"A lot of what minority and marginalized groups, what they experience is a lot of bias and a lot of micro-aggressions," She said. "If you look at academic medicine, we do not progress through the promotion cycle at anywhere similar to any other group."
To Gates, it's about challenges Black women face on a daily basis.
"There are various structures in place, sexism, racism, just biases in general," Gates said. "That we really need to deal with as a health care system."
Gates says mentoring is crucial.
"Another thing I'm very passionate about is the importance of role models and the importance of not only encouraging and supporting Black women coming into medicine and providing the resources necessary to meet them where they need us to be," She said.
Gates will be there to do just that with optimism.
"I am feeling hopeful, there is so much momentum to trying to tackle the hard questions," She said.
Gates also made history as a critical care pulmonologist helping patients and families cope during the pandemic.
She says it was life-changing and she was challenged to the brink. And she's grateful for that.