Examining the Impact of Implicit Bias Education in Healthcare Students.

Implicit bias is prevalent in healthcare, possibly because of the practices employed during healthcare education. However, the impact of healthcare education on student beliefs and attitudes has not been well studied. Students entering healthcare careers have the unique opportunity to become educated on their biases and to be given tools to actively avoid implicit bias. By having an awareness of the impact that implicit bias can have on the future interactions of healthcare students, educators can make a profound difference on the experiences of not only the student, but also the patients they will treat. In this commentary, we explore current research on the impact of implicit bias education on healthcare student beliefs and clinical practice. Additionally, we review a framework to assist faculty in designing curricula to implement implicit bias education.