Diversifying the medical curriculum as part of the wider decolonising effort: A proposed framework and...

The narrative of decolonisation has recently amassed momentum, with the student and public voice providing the greatest advocacy, resulting in medical schools and universities embarking on a broader range of initiatives in response to the wider decolonisation agenda. Part of this wider effort is the diversification of the curriculum to create a more culturally responsive and equity focussed experience and training. Diversifying the curriculum poses considerable challenges due to limited expertise and/or relevant resources. It is from identification of this deficit, as well as our own experience in a UK medical school of diversifying our medical curriculum in the context of our decolonising efforts and the nature of the work required, that we developed a framework and created a toolbox of reflective questions, examples and resources to aid this work. As authors, we acknowledge that this process will be ongoing as we educate ourselves and reframe perceptions of the world, learn from lived experiences and incorporate advice from experts. The aspiration of this toolbox is to support those involved in efforts and initiatives to undo the effects of colonialism in medical education and research, and more specifically those who seek to diversify their curriculum within this context. This will ultimately benefit the education of our students, with the objective of equipping them with the knowledge, understanding and skills to provide equitable care to their patients.