http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/black-doctor-delta-staff-didn-doctor-article-1.2829724
Just… wow. 
I dunno. I have that kind of thing happen to me all the time, and like the honey badger, I don’t really give a …
However, I can see why she would be irritated. This could have been a matter of life or death. At least the flight attendant apologized repetitively, and in her defense, the doctor looks very young. But people still judge you by outward appearances and their preconceived ideas, so I find it is very helpful to speak confidently and authoritatively when you need to.
It would infuriate me if I literally had the skills to potentially save someone’s life but was easily dismissed.
Heck, I got irritated when people didn’t think I could fix their toilet (young ladies aren’t plumbers, as I was told many times.)
Maybe I just have young doctors but she doesn’t look young for a doc to me. But I’m often in a teaching hospital with many young residents. shrug
I’d bet my MD-DD would also be doubted, not skin color, just youthful appearance. Her baby sister would get into R movies and DD over 21 would be IDed and I think she still gets carded, though she worries the stress of residency might be aging her 
I don’t think she looks too young to be a doctor, either. She looks early 30s to me age-wise.
But she’s in her final year of residency, so she’s probably 25 or so.
It seems pretty clear that her age was not really the issue here. Gender and race likely were factors. Delta is backpedaling fast… In Seattle recently a black female architect who was depositing a check in a newish bank account was called back to the bank after they initially accepted the deposit, and accused of lying about her profession and employment. They called HR at the firm she worked at to confirm it. I can see how that gets tiring. Doctoring while black… banking while black… some people would rather pretend that race isn’t a factor. But too often it is.
@anomander Since when is the typical final year of residency achieved by 25?
I agree @intparent. It’s not an age thing. BTW, linkedin says she graduated HS in 2005 and undergrad in 2009 so probably 29ish. (She’d probably be mad at me for saying she looks early 30s. We’ll chalk it up to the stress and hours of the med school process. )
US-MDs are at usual earliest finishing U at 22, med school at 26, then 3-9 year residency, so 29 youngest and that presumes they did not go have a bit of travel and life before beginning med school. It also presumes no Doogie Houser.
DIL will finish Med School at 26.
She hopes to be a surgeon–so many more years.
D is done with Med school at 34 and has 4 more years of residency.
You just never know. And the race thing is just awful.
This story is being discussed on the morning news as I type. Sorry Delta, but you deserve what you get on this one.
Free air miles ? Seriously? By the time she’s done with Delta, she’ll be able to buy her own plane. This is totally ridiculous. Clearly the flight attendant is not qualified for her position if she responds to a stressful situation by being dismissive. It’s clearly a racial, and most likely a gender bias. What would’ve happened if that person died on that plane ?
The article says she is 28. She looks very young to me, maybe even a teenager. In her picture she has an odd posture. Mannerisms and dress also affect people’s perceptions.
Astonishing story. Not only discriminatory, but did the flight attendant really think someone would say that they’re a doctor when they aren’t? Not that this is any better, but why didn’t she assume that she’s a nurse???
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But she’s in her final year of residency, so she’s probably 25 or so.
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My son, who is youngish for med school, will graduate in May at age 25. Unless this gal is Dougie Houser, she’s probably around 28/29 at least.
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I'd bet my MD-DD would also be doubted, not skin color, just youthful appearance.
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Yes, my son, too. He still has a baby face with blond curls. No way does he look like he’s 25.
Delta will take a lot of heat, but I really doubt that many/most Delta flight attendants and personnel would doubt someone raising their hand in a similar situation unless the person was drunk, wayyyy too young, or obviously mentally ill.
How is someone “obviously mentally ill”?
Speechless.
The part I found most egregious was when the steward asked for her credentials; then a white male identified himself as a doctor, and the steward said he could help because he already had credentials. It was so obvious that his gender and skin were the only credentials the steward could see.
What are these credentials? I don’t think physicians (or other professionals) routinely carry around credentials. My DH doesn’t
Guess we all need to carry miniature copies of our diplomas in our wallets 
I do actually have a copy of my license and a business card in my wallet, but I’d be pretty skeeved if someone asked me for my “credentials” and called me “sweetie”.