Medical Economics (04/17/25) Littrell, Austin

Continuing medical education that focuses on cultural competency and bias reduction is important for physicians at all stages of their careers, according to Earl Stewart Jr., MD, FACP, medical director of health equity at Wellstar Health System. In an interview, Stewart said that training should include not just clinical expertise but also sensitivity to identity, orientation, and documentation. "It matters that we continue education on these issues," Stewart said, noting that discomfort may be a factor in unequal treatment decisions. "Not necessarily not having the expertise, but just not being comfortable doing it just because of personal creeds." Healthcare education, he said, must adapt to both regulatory changes and evolving patient expectations. "We still have to incorporate these tenets into how we approach and how we treat our patients," Stewart said. "Because when patients feel more comfortable, and they feel like they belong … that helps make what we call shared decision-making all that more facile."

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