Aberdeen University students detail racism experience in letter

The head of Aberdeen University's school of medicine has said he is "taking steps to address underlying issues" after complaints about racism.

Prof Siladitya Bhattacharya said he was saddened by reports that some students had experienced racism at the school.

It comes after the Black Medical Society detailed individual claims in an open letter.

One student on placement described how a patient used the term "monkey" as other staff laughed in response.

The letter highlights eight individual examples where students past and present experienced racism.

The letter states: "We send this letter in the belief that ignorance is best fought with education.

"We hope this brings forward the change we want to see in the world."

'Empowering our students'

Prof Bhattacharya - who also co-chairs the university's Tackling Racial Harassment Working Group - said: "I am shocked and saddened by the accounts detailed in the open letter.

"As a university and as a school we absolutely condemn racism and discrimination in all its forms and are committed to empowering our students and staff to stand up to racism wherever and whenever it occurs."

He added: "We recognise that there is much more work to do to ensure we do not fall short of our commitments, and we will continue to listen, learn and work with our medical students to build constructively on what we have achieved through discussion so far."

The group said the letter was sent in the wake of the Black Lives Matter campaign, which had created an opportunity for every sector, including medicine, to "look at their failings when it comes to black people".

"With the latest Covid-19 health disparity report and the stories emerging of racial discrimination from colleagues, patients and health professionals, it has revealed the deep-seated systemic issues that have shaped many student's experiences negatively," they added.