AlphaMED Resources · https://alphamedicine.uk/Resources/glossary/epistemic-injustice
Epistemic injustice
Epistemic injustice is the wrong done to someone when their knowledge or testimony is unfairly discounted.
Summary
- The philosopher Miranda Fricker named it in 2007.
- Testimonial injustice is when a speaker is believed less because of prejudice about who they are.
- In medicine it describes patients whose reports of pain or other symptoms are given less weight because of their sex, race, age or diagnosis.
- Martha's Rule gives patients and families in England a route to an urgent second review when they feel they are not being heard.
Interview questions
- What is epistemic injustice?
- A patient says their pain was dismissed for years before they were diagnosed. Why might that happen?
- How can a doctor show a patient they have been believed?
Practise answering these with a mentor
Our interview preparation has you answer questions like these out loud, with feedback on each answer.
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More NHS hot topics, medical ethics case studies and medical school interview questions are in AlphaMED Resources, which we add to and update through the application cycle.