We are all a product of our culture and our values.  Healthcare at its deepest level is not just about the biomedical model but it’s also about care, care for the culture and values that permeate the lives of its practitioners and patients.   Our theme for the Spring 2021 semester, proposed by one of our bloggers, Simone Nabors, and voted as the top choice by our entire club is health and identity.  This theme is compelling because it puts the care in “healthcare.”  

Our blog highlights this semester are a kaleidoscope of marginalized identities and their voices in healthcare, ranging from the LGBTQ+ community to the eldery to women with chronic illnesses, among several others. 

In this issue, you will find pieces touching on a variety of topics related to identity in healthcare, ranging from narrative medicine to supporting children with disabilities. As the movement for social justice and health equity is rapidly growing, it is especially important to consider how identity directly influences health. To truly care for those around us, we must take the time to consider how background determinants and characteristics influence healthcare.

We hope you find the topics in this issue to be as important and compelling as we do. From everyone on the DMEJ team, we thank you for taking the time to read our journal and engage with the field of medical ethics. 

Thank you, 

Priya and Sibani