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Review
. 2022 Mar;24(2):144-150.
doi: 10.1007/s43678-021-00244-2. Epub 2022 Jan 12.

CAEP 2021 Academic Symposium: recommendations for addressing racism and colonialism in emergency medicine

Jennifer M Bryan  1 , Sara Alavian  2 , Dawn Giffin  3 , Constance LeBlanc  4 , James Liu  5 , Prashant Phalpher  6   7 , Dominick Shelton  8 , Judy Morris  9 , Rodrick Lim  10
Affiliations
Review

CAEP 2021 Academic Symposium: recommendations for addressing racism and colonialism in emergency medicine

Jennifer M Bryan et al. CJEM. 2022 Mar.

Abstract
in English, French

Purpose: Racism and colonialism impact health, physician advancement, professional development and medical education in Canada. The Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP) has committed to addressing inequities in health in their recent statement on racism. The objective of this project was to develop recommendations for addressing racism and colonialism in emergency medicine.

Methods: The authors, in collaboration with a 40 member working group, conducted a literature search, held a community consultation, solicited input from expert medical, academic and community advisors, conducted a national survey of emergency physicians, and presented draft recommendations at the 2021 CAEP Academic Symposium on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for a live facilitated discussion with a post-session survey.

Results: Sixteen recommendations were generated in the areas of patient care, hospital and departmental commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, physician advancement, and professional development and medical education.

Conclusion: Emergency physicians are uniquely positioned to promote equity at each encounter with patients, peers and learners. The 16 recommendations presented here are practical steps to countering racism and colonialism everyday in emergency medicine.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Le racisme et le colonialisme ont une incidence sur la santé, l’avancement des médecins, le développement professionnel et l’éducation médicale au Canada. L'Association canadienne des médecins d'urgence (ACMU) s'est engagée à lutter contre les inégalités en matière de santé dans sa récente déclaration sur le racisme. L'objectif de ce projet était d'élaborer des recommandations pour lutter contre le racisme et le colonialisme en médecine d'urgence. MéTHODES: Les auteurs, en collaboration avec un groupe de travail de 40 membres, ont effectué une recherche documentaire, tenu une consultation communautaire, sollicité les commentaires d’experts en médecine, en enseignement et en services communautaires, mené une enquête nationale auprès des médecins d'urgence et ont présenté des ébauches de recommandations lors du Symposium académique de l’ACMU 2021 sur l'Équité, la Diversité et l'inclusion pour une discussion animée en direct avec un sondage après la séance. RéSULTATS: Seize recommandations ont été formulées dans les domaines des soins aux patients, de l'engagement de l'hôpital et du service en matière d'Équité, de Diversité et d'Inclusion, de l'avancement des médecins, du développement professionnel et de l'éducation médicale. CONCLUSION: Les médecins urgentistes sont particulièrement bien placés pour promouvoir l'équité à chaque rencontre avec les patients, les pairs et les apprenants. Les 16 recommandations présentées ici sont des mesures pratiques pour contrer le racisme et le colonialisme au quotidien dans la médecine d'urgence.

Keywords: Anticolonialism; Antiracism; BIPOC; Black; Diversity; Indigenous.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors would like to acknowledge the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP) for providing administrative support in completing this work and for providing community advisor honoraria.

References

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    1. Canadian Heritage. Building a Foundation for Change: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2019–2022. 2019. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/anti-racism-engagem.... Accessed 16 Sep 2021.
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