Where Do We Stand?: Antiracism in Health Science Education in 2024

Before 2020, health science education rarely addressed systemic racism in its curricula, scholarly publications, or policies. This lack of recognition contributed to ongoing health disparities. Public health and nursing were the first fields to directly address the issue at a professional organization level and through scholarly investigation; other professions took minimal significant action. However, after the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent global uprising, the institutions and the corresponding professional organizations began to address systemic racism. The purpose of this commentary is to review ongoing responses to racism and inequities in health science education and practice after 2020. In addition to antiracist statements and increased publications, some policies and curricula now target improved competency in rising health professionals to minimize the impact of systemic racism. Achieving health equity requires health professions to embrace interprofessional antiracism work and update accreditation standards, curriculum, pedagogy, scholarship, and other operations.