Income Gap in Healthcare Exposes Gender Inequities
(Photo Credit: Sorbetto // Getty Images)
By Melissa Tejada
The healthcare field denies women proper compensation, according to multiple studies. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), and the Harvard Business Review (HRB) have all published data confirming this disparity.
A 2018 study done by Medscape found that “across the basic science disciplines, women earned 90 cents per dollar earned by men and 77 cents per dollar across clinical science disciplines.”
Sareh Parangi, a professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School and president of the Association of Women Surgeons, stated in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons that “unequal pay for women often begins with their first job and persists for the duration of their careers.” Another study in Annals of Internal Medicine determined that the average starting salary for men was almost $17,000 higher than that for newly graduated women.
Some Lehman alums who work in healthcare in New York find the pay inequity upsetting. John Carlos Rodriguez, Lehman alum in Nutrition and a current senior in community health education at Brooklyn College, stated that these inequities are “disgusting.” As a solution, Rodriguez suggested that there “be petitions made or some kind of movement to increase pay equity.”
New York University (NYU) nursing student Mariely Olivo said income inequity is something not widely discussed but fairly known. She disclosed that “one of my male friends, who graduated from the same school as me and has the same credentials, actually makes around $800 more biweekly. Although $800 doesn’t seem like much, it’s like saying you aren’t as qualified because of your gender.”
The largest factor in the income gap is the units used by hospitals and insurers to compensate physicians for the work that they do. These relative value units (RVU) are “a standard to determine the amount to pay doctors depending on the productivity,” according to a Medical Billing Services review. “It is a number that defines the volume of work doctors perform when treating patients for all procedures and services covered under the Physician Fee Schedule.”
Parangi stated that “the perception is that women generate fewer RVUs because they’re lazy. In reality, if you look at the specialties where there are a high percentage of women, such as obstetrics and gynecology, which is 54 percent women, and compare it to urology, which is about 8 percent women, you see dramatic disparities in RVUs for analogous procedures.”
RVUs, units that are used by Medicare to determine the fee payment for doctors depending on the procedure performed, are decided by a committee that has 30 voting members, only two of which are female. A paper published in 2017 in Gynecologic Oncology showed that for gynecologic and urologic procedures 84 percent of procedures were compensated at a higher rate for male-specific procedures.
This issue exists globally. An international survey conducted by Medscape showed “primary care physicians in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Brazil, and Mexico reported similar gender pay gaps, with female doctors in those countries making 20-29 percent less than their male colleagues.”
The survey also demonstrated that “specialists reported even wider gaps in pay by gender, ranging from 19 percent in Spain and 47 percent in Germany.” As men climb the medical ranks, they are increasingly compensated for their work. However, women’s salaries do not rise to the same level, even if all factors are nearly identical.
Indeed, statistically female doctors outperform their male peers. A 2019 Medscape study demonstrates that of 1.5 million Medicare hospitalizations in the U.S., female physicians had significantly lower mortality and re-hospitalization rates than their male peers. Still, their pay is significantly lower.
“We often are not aware that there are others with the same qualifications as us that are getting paid more to do the same job.”
HBR’s solution is enhancing salary data. Regular pay audits and greater pay transparency would force institutions to prove why male physicians with the same experience and qualifications as their female colleagues deserve higher pay.
Former Lehman nursing major, Carmen Martinez, now an RN at New York-Presbyterian, agreed. While she said she was not aware of the gap between healthcare workers, she suggested that institutions “support pay transparency. When we aren’t able to discuss our salaries, we often are not aware that there are others with the same qualifications as us that are getting paid more to do the same job with the same demands.”
Pixar’s ‘Onward’ Pushes All the Right Emotional Buttons
(Photo Credit: Disney)
By Melissa Tejada
Released on March 6 and directed by Dan Scanlon of “Monsters University,” Pixar’s “Onward” brings a touching and refreshing new perspective in a world consumed by technology. With a foundation built on the game “Dungeons and Dragons,” it is a heartwarming adventure from beginning to end.
The film follows the story of two elves, Ian Lightfoot (Holland) and Barley Lightfoot (Pratt), on a quest to find a gem that will bring back the other half of their deceased father for one day, starring Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Octavia Spencer.
Ian is a shy, painfully self-conscious high schooler, and Barley is an enthusiastic fantasy-game fanatic, obsessed with “Dungeons and Dragons.” Ian and Barley live in New Mushroomtown, where their father, Wilden, died of an illness shortly before Ian’s birth. Meanwhile, their mother, Laurel (Louis-Dreyfus), is in a new relationship with a centaur named Colt Bronco (Mel Rodriguez), whom they both dislike.
(Photo Credit: Disney)
On Ian’s 16th birthday, Laurel gives him a gift Wilden left behind before his death. Ian and Barley unwrap a magical staff with a rare gem and a letter with a “visitation spell” which requires a rare gem to make it come to fruition. Ian, who inherited his father’s mage abilities, is only able to summon his lower half because, as the spell is put into action, the gem breaks. He is also in a novice position because magic has not been practiced anywhere for hundreds of years.
Barley uses his knowledge of his game in order to find a replacement and summon the other half of their father before sunset when then spell wears off.
One of the movie’s highlights is the inclusion of an LGBTQ+ character, a purple cyclops named Specter (voiced by Lena Waithe). This inclusion caused an uproar in multiple Middle East markets that eventually banned the film.
Motherhood is also a central theme of the movie, and Laurel exemplifies the struggles and sacrifices inherent to being a mom. She protects her children at all costs, putting her life in danger to make sure they have their hearts’ desires and accomplish their goal of seeing their father. While most mothers do not fly around with a legendary warrior to save their sons from certain death, “Onward” makes it clear that moms are superheroes.
What is most impactful is the movie’s approach to death and how the absence of a parent can shape a child’s perspective. Neither of the brothers lack love, though to fill the hole after his father’s loss, Ian crossed boundaries that made him become a better version of himself.
Despite being a children’s movie, “Onward” creates a space for an open conversation about death. Since the movie aired just before the national response began to the COVID-19 pandemic, it wasn’t given its fair chance to shine. As theaters closed amid the COVID-19 crisis, the much-anticipated film ultimately failed at the box office. Disney+ was forced to bend its streaming after released policy and make it available weeks after release, as opposed to months.
But in today’s context, watching the characters cope with grief is particularly comforting and meaningful as viewers might be dealing with death amid the current pandemic. While it may lack the creativity that ancestral Pixar movies have possessed, “Onward” is absolutely worth watching because of its resonating message and uplifting scenes.
In Breaking with Original Novel, “Call of the Wild” Creates Lackluster Hero
(Photo Credit: 20th Century Studios)
By Melissa Tejada
"Call of the Wild" is a family-friendly remake of Jack London's 1903 novel that might be too friendly for its own good. Released on Feb. 21 and starring Harrison Ford as John Thornton, the film perfectly displays graphic scenes of the violence that dogs are subjected to without actual dogs being harmed, thanks to Director Chris Sanders’s clever use of CGI technology. Those who prefer action films may not be completely attracted to the plot because all action-packed scenes are usually cheesier than they are exciting. Still, some moments have an urgent, emotional quality that leaves viewers on the edge of their seats.
With a price tag of $150 million, the film is set in the 1890's Klondike Gold Rush. The canine protagonist, Buck, who was previously living lavishly, is now transported from his California home to businessmen who use him for financial gain in Yukon, Alaska. As a newcomer, he quickly gains the trust of the other dogs in his new pack. The leader of the pack, a jealous, temperamental husky named Spitz, becomes threatened by Buck’s ability to gain the other dogs’ trust, and a confrontation between the two leads Buck to become the pack leader, as Spitz runs off into the woods in defeat.
Buck's luck comes to an end when the abuse returns, and he is transferred into the hands of Hal (Dan Stevens) and his sister, Mercedes (Karen Gillan). However, John quickly saves Buck from a beating by Hal and eventually becomes his new owner, while Buck turns into a version of John’s Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor.
Sanders does an excellent job in showing the abuse off-screen, instead of direct and graphic scenes, but Hal's abusive manner is fearful enough for many audiences, especially children.
Buck also encounters a spiritual guide in the form of a wolf with captivating eyes that saves his life multiple times, giving the movie a new level of spirituality. This character, symbolic of his previous ancestors, represents Buck’s call of the wild. It seems that every step further in his journey, even in following Thornton to the gold mines, he is one step closer to the wilderness.
Harrison Ford and his CGI co-star in “Call of the Wild”. (Photo Credit: 20th Century Studios)
Throughout the film, Buck's big brown eyes, intelligent facial expressions and towering demeanor make him lovable and endearing.
"The theme that stood out to me was kindness. Buck begins as a terrifically reckless dog who is tricked into a wagon trap to be sold as a sled dog, while spending his time out after ruining his owner's party," said Sadly Wiser, who attended the film with her grandson in Westchester County at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.
However, the film falters in making a distinct break from realism in its erasure of indigenous people. The movie is set in the Alaskan Yukon, but the only indigenous character is Françoise. Originally portrayed in the novel as a man, Françoise is played by actress Cara Gee in the film. This gender-switched character is vital in Buck's character development.
There is a possibility that Sanders left out the Yeehats, the indigenous people from the 1904 novel, in order to keep Buck in a family-friendly lens. In the original novel, Buck's primitive nature is shown when upon finding half-starved dogs as well as their Yeehat owners attacking the camp, he searches them out and kills many by biting into their throats.
Taking away a scene with so much action from a movie that has been unusually passive also does not seem in the best interest of the film, but it would not fit the family-friendly lens. Buck’s attack in the novel, as well as losing so many people close to him, seem to be his final farewell to the life of domestication in the novel, which would not bode well with viewers.
Given these qualities, it’s no surprise that this movie oozes ownership by the Walt Disney Corporation. What is also not shocking is how this movie flopped because it was not one of the more requested films in the book to film categories, making only $79.8 million at the box office, despite its use of expensive technologies such as CGI. It is weakened by how greatly it differs from the original novel, although its creators may have wanted to eliminate the novel’s many disturbing aspects.
Sander’s amazing efforts to filter out animal abuse and create an excess of emotional connections in order to deliver a more family-friendly plot did not satisfy the audience's craving for more action. I give it only three out of five stars, especially if viewed by those who have read the book.
CUNY Students Protest Against Privatization of Campus and Tuition Hike
(Photo Credit: Melissa Tejada)
By Melissa Tejada
Since Dec. 2019, students from Hunter, Baruch and Brooklyn colleges have participated in a series of protests led by the Free CUNY movement denouncing the fact that campus administrators have granted campus access to outside industries, increased students' tuition and cut program budgets.
During the Starbucks at Hunter hearing on Jan. 27, 2020, CUNY students shouted: "What do we want? Freedom! When do we want it? Now! If we don't get it? Shut it down!" The demonstrations ended on Feb. 4, 2020, when campus officials outvoted Hunter fine arts students attempting to keep a space for galleries and a possible food pantry.
The protests regarding the addition of Starbucks began on Jan. 13, 2020 with a public hearing at Lehman's Center for the Performing Arts, where Hunter students gathered to condemn the addition of the Starbucks on the Hunter campus and what they characterized as the officials' abuse of power. They were followed by protests on Jan. 27 and Feb. 3.
Hailey Lam giving her testimony at the Starbucks Hearing. (Photo Credit: Melissa Tejada)
At the Starbucks hearing on Jan. 27, Hunter sociology junior Kana Tateishi directly targeted Hunter's President, Jennifer Raab, who was not present. She called Raab “a coward for hiding this from your own students…The decisions you make behind closed doors have tangible effects on our lives; your shameless apathy is revolting."
According to President Jennifer Raab, at the Jan. 13 meeting on facilities planning, Starbucks will provide a space “to be able to sit on the campus,” and the revenue from Starbucks could be used for renovations on campus as needed.
While it stood vacant from January – May of 2019, students used the Starbucks space as a pop-up community art gallery that attracted local gallery owners and collectors who attended their events in support of the Hunter community.
According to a video posted by CUNYMedia’s YouTube page, proposals for a lease with Starbucks included 1,959-square-feet on the ground floor, as well as 1,000-square-feet at Hunter’s west building on the lower level at 904 Lexington Ave. There is an initial term of 10 years and eight months, with two five-year renewal options.
The video claims the annual rent for the facilities is $411,290 for the first five years, $452,529 for the remaining time in the 10-year 8-month term. First renewal rent would be $497,781; second renewal is 95 percent of fair market value. The rent is included for the 1,959-square-foot space on the ground floor; rent for the west building location on Lexington Avenue has not yet been disclosed.
Students also opposed actions they saw as exclusionary or lacking transparency. Briana Calderón Navarro, Hunter College studio- art senior, complained: "They approve tuition increases during finals week.” Students claim that the dates were chosen strategically to decrease students' input activity while the administration made the decision for the tuition hike.
This tuition increase, which will be in effect for the academic year of 2020-2021 for all campuses, comes to $320 annually, $200 for general tuition and $120 for "health and wellness."
Despite tuition increases, Tateishi described how the campus is falling apart. "Hunter ceilings were leaking just this weekend,” she explained. “Buckets were laid out around the school to catch the leaks, entire library floors were closed off without any plans for repair. There are holes and openings in the ceilings, and open electrical wires are displayed on multiple walls around the school.” Whether or not the revenue will give priority to these renovations has not been decided.
Professor Vani Kannan at the Starbucks Hearing. (Photo Credit: Melissa Tejada)
Navarro also pointed out the lack of transparency from Hunter administrators regarding third-party companies using the CUNY campus with a YouTube video showing Hunter's gym used by Gucci for the 2019 Met Gala Afterparty. Miley Cyrus, Liam Hemsworth, Emma Stone, Shawn Mendes, Tiffany Haddish, Emma Roberts, Dua Lipa and Trevor Noah were among the celebrity attendees. While students were studying for finals, preparations were being made for the party without informing the students.
A Hunter student on the video said, "I don’t think it’s cool to be hosting celebrities in our gym when we can't host students."
The meeting also addressed problems students encounter on campus when they speak up.
At a tuition hike protest on Dec. 17, 2019, Brooklyn College English and political science double-major senior Hailey Lam said, "They taunted me and handcuffed me.”
Hunter students plan to raise awareness against campus privatization through an online petition on change.org named "NO STARBUCKS AT HUNTER COLLEGE! PETITION FOR COMMUNAL SPACE FOR STUDENTS," it now has more than 900 signatures and remains active.
“Immigrant Daughter” is a Moving Tale of Family Healing and Hope
By Melissa Tejada
Book cover of Immigrant Daughter by Catherine Kapphahn. (Photo Credit: Amazon)
Published on Aug. 21, 2019, Catherine Kapphahn’s, “Immigrant Daughter: Stories You Never Told Me,” documents her powerful journey as a daughter uncovering the unknown life of her late mother, Marijana Kanjer, before the author’s birth.
Kapphahn, an English professor at Lehman, immerses readers in a cinematic experience full of emotions and intimacy by revealing and slowly assembling Marijana’s life-puzzle.
Throughout the story, Marijana strategically uses suppression to build layers of self-protection and strength that keep her traumas fresh wounds. This leaves holes in Kapphahn’s understanding of her genealogy, but eventually, she peels back the layers of her mother’s life with raw authenticity.
The memoir at first transports readers to a hunt in Oriovac, in the countryside of Croatia, where Marijana’s childhood memories lie. The engaging details and descriptions allow readers to practically bask in the landscape, while experiencing the author’s desperate hunger for truth.
The story then progresses from Marijana’s peaceful country life to wartime hardships and illness during her time dwelling in Zagreb. Kapphahn’s ability to capture this uncertain and disturbing time vividly depicts Marijana’s resilience. This part of the narrative powerfully connects with scenarios of current wars driven by extremist leaders and highlights the need to avoid repeating previous mistakes that contribute to inhumane consequences. In this context, the theme of loss stands out repeatedly throughout the memoir.
These events both show Marijana’s own struggles and represent the efforts of refugees to escape conflict in an attempt to secure their future generations. In Marijana’s case, she moves from Europe to different parts of Latin America, where she meets, falls in love with and marries Dave, the author’s father. Marijana’s personality grows stronger as she travels with Dave. The couple struggles with physical stability, but regardless of momentary distance, their love and familial devotion maintain their unity and keeps their hearts beating as one.
Through her narrative, Kapphahn also navigates her ancestral roots by connecting with family members she couldn’t meet before, which teaches the importance of lineage and how it ripples through generations and individuals’ identities. The different people Kapphahn encountered reveal how Marijana hopes for new life and the fear or excitement she felt about the future, all of which form part of immigration experiences. Through their accounts, Marijana’s character takes on multiple identities in a figurative sense.
Despite sacrifices taken to complete this memoir, Kapphahn details her own transformation through grief, and what began as a journey through loss becomes a journey to self-discovery.