Heidari Amirmohammad, Joshi Shravani, Ahmed Mohamed H, Mahmoud Ibrahim, O'Dowd Jacqueline, Selway Joanne, Phillips Oladipo, Taha Mohamed H
The Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Buckingham, UK.
Department of Medicine and HIV Metabolic Clinic, Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Eaglestone, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK.
J Educ Health Promot. 2024 Dec 28;13:484. doi: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_297_24. eCollection 2024.
Equity, inclusion, and diversity in medical education are increasingly recognized as crucial for enhancing student engagement and improving health outcomes. This paper aims to analyze trends and assess student attitudes toward ethnic equity, inclusion, and diversity within campus-based modules at the University of Buckingham Medical School, UK.
A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving 97 medical students aged 18-24 years (86.6%) between 2021 and 2023. Quantitative data were gathered through a pretested questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale and analyzed using SPSS software (version 26). Qualitative insights were obtained from five focus group sessions with randomly selected medical students and analyzed thematically.
The findings of this study indicated a significant proportion of Asian descent students (56.7%). First-year and White ethnicity students perceived the curriculum as more representative compared to second-year counterparts and peers from other ethnic backgrounds. Notably, first-year students showed a heightened understanding of social science terms, especially "ethnicity," and 67% of female students demonstrated a deeper comprehension of sociocultural factors influencing health behaviors. Across demographics, there was consistent recognition of these factors impacting patient care. Qualitative findings underscored the importance of representation in medical education, biases in recruitment, and advocated for greater faculty diversity. Additionally, there is a need for a curriculum reflecting diverse dietary habits and including role models from various ethnic backgrounds.
This study emphasizes the critical need for curricular reform in medical education to prepare students for a multicultural society. Addressing disparities in curriculum representation and promoting diversity within faculties are essential for equipping future healthcare professionals with the skills to provide culturally competent care and navigate diverse patient populations effectively.
医学教育中的公平、包容和多元化越来越被认为对提高学生参与度和改善健康结果至关重要。本文旨在分析英国白金汉大学医学院基于校园的模块中有关种族公平、包容和多元化的趋势，并评估学生的态度。
采用混合方法，研究对象为2021年至2023年间97名年龄在18 - 24岁之间的医学生（占86.6%）。通过使用五点李克特量表的预测试问卷收集定量数据，并使用SPSS软件（版本26）进行分析。从与随机挑选的医学生进行的五次焦点小组讨论中获得定性见解，并进行主题分析。
本研究结果显示亚洲血统学生占很大比例（56.7%）。与二年级学生和其他种族背景的同龄人相比，一年级和白人学生认为课程更具代表性。值得注意的是，一年级学生对社会科学术语，尤其是“种族”有更高的理解，67%的女学生对影响健康行为的社会文化因素有更深入的理解。在不同人口统计学特征中，人们一致认识到这些因素对患者护理的影响。定性研究结果强调了医学教育中代表性的重要性、招生中的偏见，并主张增加教师的多样性。此外，需要有反映不同饮食习惯并包含来自各种族背景榜样的课程。
本研究强调医学教育课程改革的迫切需求，以使学生为多元文化社会做好准备。解决课程代表性方面的差异并促进教师队伍的多样性对于使未来的医疗保健专业人员具备提供具有文化胜任力的护理并有效应对不同患者群体的技能至关重要。
