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A black Boston doctor said he was a victim of racial profiling when flight attendants explained his qualifications while helping a sick passenger.
Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford was back from Indianapolis for her flight home when she noticed that the woman next to her was hyperventilating. Stanford – who is a doctor at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital – was already helping the passenger when a flight attendant stopped and asked if she was a doctor, CNN reported.
Stanford told the flight attendant that she was a doctor, but a second flight attendant went by and asked for a Stanford medical license, which Stanford presented.
Stanford says the two flight attendants came back a third time to ask him if his medical license really belonged to him. Stanford thinks the flight attendants have questioned her credentials because she is a black woman.
"I do not understand why there was a dialogue there," Stanford told the Boston Globe. "I showed them my license twice and they still did not believe it was mine. None of this was taken into account and I found it very frustrating. "
Stanford tweeted about the incident, urging the airline to contact her by email Wednesday morning.
"@Delta, I am very disappointed that your policies on #Diversity have not led to any change. As a #blackwoman doctor who showed my #medical license to help a passenger on board a DL5935, your #flight waiter still did not believe that I was a doctor #. @DrSinhaEsq @DrKathyHughes, " Stanford tweeted.
"My experience last night when a traveling companion needed help shows that being a @harvardmed @MassGeneralMDs does not protect #racism #WhatADoctorLooksLike #ILookLikeADoctor #ILookLikeASurgeon #BiasInMedicine #implicitbias #BlackWomenDoctors Stanford wrote in a second tweet.
Stanford added that she was still not convinced that Delta had changed its policy after a conversation with them about this strange meeting. The airline allegedly told him that they had taken it for a therapist.
"I have therefore talked with @Delta and I left the conversation quite uncertain as to the possible modifications. Summary: flight attendants thought I was # therapist despite #MDlicense. They will ensure that this is resolved. Thank you for being a member of #skymiles. Really?! $ #Iamadoctor, " she tweeted.
Delta apologized to Stanford in a statement and said they would conduct a thorough investigation.
"We thank Dr. Stanford for his medical assistance and we regret any misunderstanding that occurred during his exchange with the flight crew," the airline said in a statement.
"According to the report of the flight crew, they initially misinterpreted the identification information provided by the doctor and went to reconfirm his specific medical discipline.We follow up with the crew to make sure the proper policy is followed. "
Delta's medical certification application contravenes a policy implemented in 2016, after Tamika Cross, also a black national, was banned from helping a sick passenger take a Delta flight between Detroit and Minneapolis.
Delta does not require verification of medical credentials in order to get help, it is only necessary for the volunteer to declare that he is a doctor, a medical assistant, a nurse, a paramedic or an ambassador.
Anthony L. Black, spokesman for Delta, told The Post that Stanford was on board a Republic flight, a Delta Connection carrier.
"We thank Dr. Stanford for his medical assistance aboard Republic Flight 5935 IND-BOS and we regret any misunderstanding that occurred during his exchange with the flight crew. In the future, we are closely monitoring the relationship with our carrier partner to ensure that their employees understand and apply the policy consistently, "said Black in a statement sent Thursday by email.
"Whatever the planes, all customers are Delta customers and we are committed to bringing them a similar experience on every flight. In 2016, Delta changed its policy on providing medical referrals and we are working with all of our connection partners to ensure that their changes and actions are aligned with ours, "the statement said.
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