Teaching About Racism in Medical Education: A Mixed-Method Analysis of a Train-the-Trainer Faculty Development Workshop

Abstract

Background and objectives: Curriculum addressing racism as a driver of inequities is lacking at most health professional programs. We describe and evaluate a faculty development workshop on teaching about racism to facilitate curriculum development at home institutions.

Methods: Following development of a curricular toolkit, a train-the-trainer workshop was delivered at the 2017 Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Annual Spring Conference. Preconference evaluation and a needs assessment collected demographic data of participants, their learning communities, and experience in teaching about racism. Post-conference evaluations were completed at 2- and 6-month intervals querying participants' experiences with teaching about racism, including barriers; commitment to change expressed at the workshop; and development of the workshop-delivered curriculum. We analyzed quantitative data using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software and qualitative data, through open thematic coding and content analysis.

Results: Forty-nine people consented to participate. The needs assessment revealed anxiety but also an interest in obtaining skills to teach about racism. The most reported barriers to developing curriculum were institutional and educator related. The majority of respondents at 2 months (61%, n=14/23) and 6 months (70%, n=14/20) had used the toolkit. Respondents ranked all 10 components as useful. The three highest-ranked components were (1) definitions and developing common language; (2) facilitation training, exploring implicit bias, privilege, intersectionality and microaggressions, and videos/podcasts; and (3) Theater of the Oppressed and articles/books.

Conclusions: Faculty development training, such as this day-long workshop and accompanying toolkit, can advance skills and increase confidence in teaching about racism.