Why do I need to belong? Black women and Latinas navigate medical education beyond belonging toward rightful presence

Abstract

Background: Medical education research indicates that students of color face discrimination affecting their sense of belonging within historically white institutions (HWIs) of academic medicine. This is especially true for the students with intersectional identities such as Black women and Latinas, who continue to make up a small percentage of medical school matriculants each year. Methods: In 2021, we initiated a virtual community of seven Black women and Latina medical students from around the midwestern United States. Over a two-year period, participants engaged in online message boards and research interviews discussing their experiences for the purpose of promoting a sense of belonging. Using the data collected from the virtual community, we implemented a composite narrative methodology undergirded by theoretical frameworks Black Feminist Thought (BFT) and Latina Chicana Feminism (LCFT) to answer our research question. The purpose of the study was to understand the impact of a sense of belonging on participant experiences in medical school, while also protecting their anonymity. Results: The findings for this study are illustrated via composite narratives that are organized as a conversation between a Black woman and a Latina medical student named Moon and Star. The composite narratives highlight experiences had among the seven participants demonstrating how minoritized identity development is inconsistent with belonging and the need for HWIs of academic medicine to establish a rightful presence beyond belonging. Rightful presence is a concept where the qualities and characteristics of an individual are accepted in an environment and therefore, do not require the individual to adjust for purposes of belonging. Conclusion: This study identified rightful presence as a way to engage Black women and Latina students in medical education. Based on the findings from this study we encourage moving beyond a sense of belonging approach toward welcoming the unique contributions of Black women and Latinas starting with their right to be in medical education spaces. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12909-025-07781-9.