Evaluating and implementing an opportunity for diversity and inclusion in case-based learning.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Social Determinants of Health
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Problem-based learning (PBL) and case-based learning (CBL) may perpetuate stereotypes by limiting social identity discussions to diagnostic relevance.
• This approach can inadvertently reinforce biases in medical trainees.
• There is a need to integrate a broader understanding of social identities within medical education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the underrepresentation of social identities in medical curricula.
• To develop a resource for improving the portrayal of social identities in case-based learning.
• To enhance the integration of social determinants of health into medical training.

Main Methods:

• A student-developed resource, "Portraying Social Identities in Medical Curriculum: A Primer," was utilized.
• Analysis of existing cases for social identity content and identification of gaps.
• Proposal of changes, including the use of a validated name bank reflecting local census data for diversity.

Main Results:

• Identified significant gaps in the representation of social identities within medical cases.
• Proposed actionable strategies for curriculum enhancement.
• Demonstrated the utility of a diverse name bank for improving representation.

Conclusions:

• The developed primer and name bank innovation can improve social diversity in medical curricula.
• Medical schools can adopt these methods to better represent social determinants of health.
• Enhancing social identity portrayal in CBL is crucial for inclusive medical education.