A greater proportion of Muslim physicians confront discrimination at work.
- In 2013, 19% of participants reported sometimes experiencing religious discrimination in the workplace, while 5% reported often or always encountering discrimination during their careers.
- In 2021, 41% of participants reported sometimes experiencing religious discrimination in the workplace, while 12% reported often or always experiencing discrimination.
A similar increase was seen in a question about participants’ current workplace:
- In 2013, 14% of participants reported currently experiencing religious discrimination at work.
- In 2021, 36% of participants reported currently experiencing discrimination at work.
Muslim physicians increasingly perceive that they have been passed over for professional advancement because of their religious identity.
- In 2013, 24% of participants reported they have been passed over for professional advancement because of their religion.
- In 2021, 57% of participants reported that they have been passed over for professional advancement because of their religion.
In 2013, 24% of participants reported they have been passed over for professional advancement because of their religion.
In 2021, 57% of participants reported that they have been passed over for professional advancement because of their religion.
Interviewees echoed this phenomenon and shared specific instances. For example, a South Asian female physician stated:
“I[t] did come to a point when my juniors were being given those administrative positions… These [positions] were not advertised or anything. No other faculty were consulted. These positions were just announced.”
In 2013, 9% of participants reported experiencing patient(s) refusing to be cared for by the participant due to the participant’s religious identity.
In 2021, 33% reported experiencing patient(s) refusing to be cared for by the participant due to the participant’s religious identity.
- In 2013, 9% of participants reported experiencing patient(s) refusing to be cared for by the participant due to the participant’s religious identity.
- In 2021, 33% reported experiencing patient(s) refusing to be cared for by the participant due to the participant’s religious identity.
Aside from being rejected by patients, participants also encountered discriminatory comments from patients; for example, a South Asian female interviewee reported that patients made comments such as:
“How do I know you’re not ISIS” or “How do I know being a Muslim, you are really treating me and giving me the right meds and not actually trying to harm me?”
Muslim physicians are increasingly leaving their jobs due to workplace discrimination.
- In 2013, 7% of participants reported leaving a job due to discrimination.
- In the 2021 survey, 32% of participants reported the same.
Interview participants noted cumulative stress compelled them to leave. As one South Asian male participant shared:
“It [the discrimination] got escalated to the point where it was making me feel nervous…things accumulated to the point where I had to change my job.”
