Students Advocating for Diversity in Medical Education

Abstract

Problem: Innovations within the medical education system often come from administration and leadership, in the traditional top-down approach to preparing students for the actualities of medical practice. There is a dearth of literature showing the power of students to design and advance innovations in this same arena. As incoming classes of students are increasingly more diverse, student efforts for diversity and inclusion initiatives must be explored as avenues to effect positive change within the system. Approach: Medical students at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville (UofSC SOM Greenville) formed the committee known as Student Advocates for Diversity and Inclusion (SADI) in Fall 2017, with the goals of enhancing the curriculum, increasing the visibility of diverse peoples within the medical school and the healthcare system, and supporting the experience of these peoples. Outcomes:The report herein describes the formation of the Student Advocates for Diversity and Inclusion and its initial steps, including the modification of curricular practices and the development of extracurricular programs.Conclusion: SADI may serve as one example of the power of students to transform medical education. Other students and schools can use the committee and its successes and challenges to implement similar programs at their respective institutions, with the goal of achieving diversity and inclusion more broadly across the medical education system. ProblemThe medical community has long grappled with the challenges of physician diversity and health disparities. In 2018, Moss J, Hardy E, Cooley K, Cuffe S, Lang M, Kennedy A MedEdPublish Eliza Hardy is a fourth-year medical student at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville and a founding member of the Student Advocates for Diversity and Inclusion. Student doctor Keiko Cooley is a third-year medical student at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville and a founding member of the Student Advocates for Diversity and Inclusion. Samantha Cuffe (Shelhoss) is a third-year medical student at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville and a founding member of the Student Advocates for Diversity and Inclusion. ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9710-3572Madeline Lang is a fourth-year medical student at

Strategies to tackle racial inequalities in medical school

“…Once a working group has been established, aims have been set and an appropriate group of staff and students are working together, the next step is to keep momentum. As demonstrated by the various initiatives from different organisations discussed in this paper, regular meetings, clear agendas, achievable aims and incentives should keep driving the group 11–14 . Data collected should be used to evaluate the progress of the working group so far and inform new aims and objectives.…”

“…Feeding into this is the Eurocentric/Anglo American worldview which dominates the medical profession, leading to underrepresentation of those not fitting this narrow demographic, the legacy of which remains a barrier 5,11 . Valuing a range of student voices is essential in affecting change 12 ; however, they are often not sought out or are dismissed by academics who do not believe their views to be necessary in tackling this problem 11 . There should be involvement from both staff and students, with clearly defined work streams and shared responsibility 11–14 .…”

“…Valuing a range of student voices is essential in affecting change 12 ; however, they are often not sought out or are dismissed by academics who do not believe their views to be necessary in tackling this problem 11 . There should be involvement from both staff and students, with clearly defined work streams and shared responsibility 11–14 . Setting up a working group is one way to achieve this.…”

“…The student‐led group demonstrated the power of valuing the lived experiences of minority ethnic students in transforming medical education. The group affected changes to the curriculum, increasing diversity amongst patients in teaching settings, and set up extracurricular programmes to facilitate discussions around racial equality 12 . Collate examples from a wide variety of sources and devise aims that reflect your medical school's needs.…”

Advancing the Mission of an Inclusive Curriculum at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine Through the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Curriculum Project

“…Aligned with industry recommendations and initiatives to transform clinical learning environments, 1–4 a collaborative and systematic approach was developed to audit preclerkship courses, document gaps, and identify opportunities for enhancement.…”