Fellow OSA Members,


Our hearts are heavy with the recent examples of systemic racism in America and its profound effect on people of color. The deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, along with the glaring disparities in outcomes of COVID-19 in our black communities, are stark examples of how far we have yet to go in our quest for “liberty and justice for all.”


In taking the Hippocratic Oath, we all vowed to “do no harm.” We are physicians; we are healers; we are the doctors who come running when someone says, “I can’t breathe.” By remaining silent in these historic times, we would be deepening the harm that various communities have experienced. The Oregon Society of Anesthesiologists unequivocally denounces racism, bigotry or discrimination in any form.


To our members who identify as persons of color: We see you. We are listening. We stand with you. And we will partner with you to both illuminate and combat the impact of systemic racism within our communities and our medical practices.


Respectfully,

The Oregon Society of Anesthesiologists Board of Directors