SACRAMENTO, Calif — When it comes to diversity in medicine, there's still work to be done.
There are more white doctors in the U.S. than any other race or ethnic group, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), a nonprofit association dedicated to transforming health through medical education, health care, medical research, and community collaborations.
The latest AAMC data shows there are more than 516,000 white physicians in the U.S. compared to about 45,000 Black physicians.
The percentage of Black doctors has barely risen in the past 120 years. That's coming from a 2021 report by UCLA. The research also spotlights a significant income gap between white and Black male physicians.
It's a disparity, the researcher writes, that could reflect a combination of pay discrimination and unequal access for physicians to pursue careers in more lucrative specialties.
Dr. Stephanie Walton is a pediatrician in Sacramento. She learned about the importance of representation in medicine from Dr. Vernon L. Walton, Sacramento's first Black pediatrician.
"Dr. Vernon L. Walton was, to me, my dad," said Dr. Stephanie Walton. "He was a mentor to many and someone who just loved and adored kids."
Dr. Vernon Walton founded Walton Pediatrics and Medical Associates in the early 1960's, opening his first office in Del Paso Heights. Since then, the practice has expanded from one small office to three locations throughout the Greater Sacramento region.
Dr. Vernon Walton was born in the small town of Wynne, Arkansas, about 50 miles from Memphis, Tennessee, on August 27, 1930. He was raised in Joliet, Illinois, about 45 miles from Chicago.
Walton attended Langston University, the only historically Black college or university (HBCU) in Oklahoma. After graduating college, Walton attended medical school at the University of Illinois. He earned a medical degree in 1957. He went on to complete residency training at Cook County Hospital in Chicago.
While there, he met and fell in love with a woman, Velma. They got married, moved to California in 1960, and started a family. Walton served as a Navy doctor for two years in San Diego. After an honorable discharge, Walton moved his family to Sacramento to continue work in medicine.
"He really felt like he had to do more training for kids," said Dr. Stephanie Walton. "That was his passion. We moved to Oakland, where he did his residency in pediatrics. Then, we moved back to Sacramento."
Dr. Vernon Walton dedicated his life to improving the health and welfare of all children until he retired in 2010. On March 16, 2018, he passed away.
Now, Dr. Stephanie Walton is following in her father's footsteps, serving as the the medical director for Walton Pediatrics and Medical Associates. She, particularly, has a passion for childhood preventative health, newborn care, and urgent care.
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"We believe that all kids deserve excellent medical care," said Dr. Stephanie Walton. "The thing I like the most about my job is to come in and impact the lives of kids because they impact my life as well."
Dr. Stephanie Walton is focused on keeping her father's legacy and mission alive. She's also an advocate for more representation in medicine.
"My hope would be that we will continue to expand and recruit physicians of color into this community," Walton said.
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