Curriculum-wide integration initiatives for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Health Professions Education
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Persistent healthcare disparities disproportionately affect marginalized communities.
• Pharmacists require cultural competency to effectively serve diverse patient populations.
• Pharmacy curricula show inconsistent integration of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA).

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the procedures, challenges, and lessons learned from establishing a DEIA Consultant Team.
• To embed DEIA principles into a newly designed pharmacy curriculum.
• To provide a replicable model for health professions schools.

Main Methods:

• Formed a DEIA Consultant Team to support holistic DEIA integration.
• Aligned team's work with DEIA principles: intentionality, transparency, and accountability.
• Embedded DEIA integration within a Whole Task Learning curricular structure.

Main Results:

• Achieved four core milestones: assessment design, syllabus/case alignment, instructor development, and trajectory support.
• Identified key themes: iterative implementation, semester championing, and targeted faculty development.
• Highlighted the need for dedicated expertise and sustained institutional commitment.

Conclusions:

• Systematic DEIA integration demands expertise, commitment, and comprehensive frameworks.
• Meaningful transformation requires advocacy, educational shifts, iterative approaches, faculty development, and accountability.
• The consultant team model facilitates comprehensive curriculum transformation for culturally responsive providers.