The linked article below from the New England Journal of Medicine addresses racism in medicine and highlights the need for new approaches in medical education to address racism as a root cause of health disparities. The focus is on racial affinity group caucuses (RAGCs), which are facilitated sessions where participants gather based on their self-identified racial or ethnic identity. These sessions aim to integrate anti-racism curricula into clinical practice by fostering critical introspection, building community, and encouraging the integration of theory, self-reflection, and action, ultimately equipping physicians to tackle health inequities.

 “Addressing racism in medicine requires approaches at the systemic, interpersonal, and individual levels. RAGCs are designed to support learning, growth, and reflection in a manner that centres BIPOC learners while providing differentiation for all learners. We suggest using longitudinal RAGCs throughout medical school and in residency programs as an opportunity for learners to contextualize antiracism curricula, bring greater depth and meaning to such curricula’s lessons, build supportive communities, and expand knowledge and skill in antiracist doctoring. RAGCs are a promising approach to equipping physicians to help eliminate health inequities.”1

Read the full article here.

References

  1. Lewis, L., Fabersunne, C. C., Iacopetti, C. L., Negussie-Retta, G., McBride, D., Irving, P., & Marbin, J. (2023). Racial Affinity Group Caucusing in Medical Education — A Key Supplement to Antiracism Curricula. The New England Journal of Medicine, 388(17), 1542–1545. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmp2212866

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