Let’s Talk about Bias in Healthcare: Experiences from an Interactive Interprofessional Student Seminar

Authors

  • Mckenzie P. Rowe Department of Surgery, Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, Falls Church, VA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6173-2710
  • Nancy B. Tahmo Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, ON, CA
  • Opeoluwa O. Oyewole California Council on Science and Technology, Sacramento, CA
  • Keyonna M. King College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
  • Teresa M. Cochran Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Allied Health Professions, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Kearney, NE
  • Yun Saksena College of Dentistry, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Lincoln, NE
  • Carolyn T. Williamson Community Leader, Omaha, NE
  • Rev. Portia A. Cavitt Pastor, Clair Memorial United Methodist Church, Omaha, NE
  • Sherrita A. Strong 9 College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
  • Michael D. Griffin College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
  • Timothy C. Guetterman Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0093-858X
  • Jasmine R. Marcelin Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/ijms.2025.2457

Keywords:

interprofessional education, implicit bias education, Bias in medicine, structural competency, racial bias, health professions education, undergraduate health education

Abstract

Background: Education to increase awareness of the impact of bias in healthcare should be included in all health professions training programs. This report describes the implementation and outcomes of an interactive, interprofessional pilot seminar on racial bias in healthcare for health professions students.

Methods: Forty students across the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s six health profession colleges participated in a 3-part, 1-hour seminar, including a video vignette depicting examples of bias in the hospital, facilitated interprofessional small group discussions, and interaction with a health equity expert panel. We analyzed the results of participants’ Ethnic Perspective-Taking (EP) and Implicit Bias Knowledge scale (IBKS) scores before and after the seminar.

Results: There was a statistically significant increase (p<0.001) in the average post-seminar EP scores (30.6 post-seminar vs 27.8 pre-seminar). For the adapted IBKS, there were significant improvements in participant knowledge, skills to identify, and ability to explain the impact of implicit biases (p<0.05). Participants highlighted the importance of including education about bias in healthcare training, and some suggested mandatory education. All facilitators agreed that learners gained a deeper appreciation for the effect of bias and racism on health outcomes and participants understood how bias and racism affect patient care and clinician experience after the seminar.

Conclusion: Health professions training often lacks integrated interprofessional and health equity education. This seminar addresses both, engaging community voices without heavy resources. Despite low participation, results show the benefits of interactive sessions on health equity, helping students grasp their role in equitable care and influencing future practice.

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Published

2025-03-31

How to Cite

Rowe, M. P., Tahmo, N. B., Oyewole, O. O., King, K. M., Cochran, T. M., Saksena, Y., Williamson, C. T., Cavitt, R. P. A., Strong, S. A., Griffin, M. D., Guetterman, T. C., & Marcelin, J. R. (2025). Let’s Talk about Bias in Healthcare: Experiences from an Interactive Interprofessional Student Seminar. International Journal of Medical Students, 13(1), 25–39. https://doi.org/10.5195/ijms.2025.2457

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Original Article

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Copyright (c) 2024 Mckenzie P. Rowe, Nancy B. Tahmo, Opeoluwa O. Oyewole, Keyonna M. King, Teresa M. Cochran, Yun Saksena, Carolyn T. Williamson, Rev. Portia A. Cavitt, Sherrita A. Strong, Michael D. Griffin, Timothy C. Guetterman, Jasmine R. Marcelin

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