At one end of the courtroom, the witness held her hand up to show jurors the scar left by a bullet wound. As our USF Health students looked on, she related the story of the shooting. That’s how they learned that, perhaps not surprisingly, the witness had a connection with us. She was taken to Tampa General Hospital, our primary teaching partner, for treatment.
Last week, a group of USF Health students and faculty came to the 13th Judicial Circuit courthouse in downtown Tampa for our 20th annual Black Robe Day, where we met with circuit and county judges, lawyers, toured the courthouse and observed various legal proceedings.
Our first Black Robe Day was started by Jay Wolfson, Dr.PH, JD, who currently serves as interim dean of the USF College of Public Health, and by retired 13th Circuit Court Judge Gregory Holder. I’m grateful to both for this creative initiative. They joined us last week, along with Chief Circuit Judge Christopher Sabella, Circuit Judge Daryl Manning, several other judges and leaders from the local chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates.
It’s a chance for us to step out of our own silos and learn about another profession’s impact on society – and to realize that they have more in common with us than we think. Lawyers and doctors sometimes view each other with skepticism, and occasionally with outright suspicion. That’s even more reason for us to set an example by showing that breaking down barriers with civil conversations and common learning experiences is a way to bridge artificial divides. It’s something that we need to do more often in today’s polarized environment.
Our Tampa judges welcome this interaction as well, and several of them have participated in our own White Coat Day, an event held at Tampa General, that allows local residents to shadow physicians and learn more about health care.
As part of Black Robe Day, we gave symbolic white coats to local judges who had participated in an earlier White Coat Day at Tampa General Hospital.
As we talked, the group ticked off multiple points where our paths, or those of our patients or clients, cross: helping people who are the victims of car accidents or other trauma or violent crimes. Those struggling with substance use disorders or mental health issues.
I was especially struck by a remark that Circuit Judge Thomas Palermo made as he described the history of Florida courthouses to our students. For us, he said, it’s just another day at the office. But we always must remember that for many people, it’s one of the most important days of their lives.
I have often said the same thing to my own students – only in my case, I’m talking about delivering babies.
Both of our professions carry a unique blend of privilege with profound responsibilities to help those we serve. We can help everyone even more by understanding each other better.
-- Photos courtesy of the 13th Judicial Circuit