Background
Across the nation, racism has been declared a public health crisis. To provide high value healthcare, providers and medical student must define and recognize manifestations of stress related to racism and discrimination. By student request, we aimed to provide knowledge of the physiological effects of stress from perceived discrimination, screening tools, and dialogue frameworks for clinical discussions. 

Methods
Second year medical students and neurobiology faculty developed an hour-long teaching session addressing the stress response. To prepare for the session, learners were assigned readings, a video lecture, and tasked to create an HPI on a prompted scenario. The session acknowledged current systems of oppression in society and established ground rules for psychological safety. Students traded self-created cases between groups and discussed each clinical scenario identifying stress-related responses in different patient populations. After the session, a debriefing period was offered to address lasting concerns. 

Results
Students identified the impact of acute and chronic stress on various body systems through an understanding of physiological mediators of the stress response. They discussed the various health related consequences of racism and other forms of discrimination concerning social identity and intersectionality. Groups demonstrated structural competency in the clinical impact of the stress response through the creation of clinical case-based scenarios, group discussion and a debrief including the importance of trauma-informed language for both provider and patient.

Strengths included a peer-created, peer-delivered course curriculum where second year medical students provided didactic instruction, facilitated small group discussion, and led a debrief session for first-year students. Ideally, a topic of this sensitivity would include additional instruction from an expert in the field of healthcare advocacy or discrimination.

Conclusion
Our medical education innovation highlights the importance of using student feedback in the curriculum to address the biochemical response to social determinants of health. Peer course delivery and interactive clinical case creation facilitated reflective conversations amongst students and faculty. Nationally, healthcare becomes more equitable when providers are able to recognize and respond appropriately to the stress response resulting from racism and discrimination. 


Implementation of a Peer-Led and Peer-Facilitated Interactive Course on Racism-Related Stress and Culturally-Responsive Interactions with Patients in Clinical Settings

Ashlynn Mills

1

SHORT BIO

Stay up to date with the latest Underline news!

PRESENTATIONS

CONFERENCES

COMPANY

RESOURCES