Understanding faculty perspectives on health equity curriculum implementation in graduate medical education: a qualitative study

Krys E Foster; Dhruvi Shah; Quinn Plunkett; Randa Sifri

doi:10.1186/s12909-024-06276-3

Understanding faculty perspectives on health equity curriculum implementation in graduate medical education: a qualitative study

BMC Med Educ. 2024 Nov 11;24(1):1287. doi: 10.1186/s12909-024-06276-3.

Authors

Krys E Foster¹, Dhruvi Shah², Quinn Plunkett³, Randa Sifri²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Family and Community Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, 1015 Walnut Street, Suite 401, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA. Krys.Foster@jefferson.edu.
² Department of Family and Community Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, 1015 Walnut Street, Suite 401, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA.
³ College of Population Health, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

PMID: 39529033
DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-06276-3

Abstract

Background: Despite increased awareness of persistent healthcare disparities, integrating health equity education into medical residency curricula needs urgent expansion. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) mandates addressing healthcare disparities and social determinants of health, but implementation remains insufficient due to pervasive barriers.

Objective: To explore residency faculty perspectives at one institution surrounding implementing a health equity curriculum within their programs.

Methods: Between November 2022 and April 2023, qualitative interviews and focus groups were conducted with residency faculty participants (n = 13) from a large academic medical institution. Participants were recruited via an internal email list directory of program directors. Semi-structured sessions explored faculty perspectives on health equity curriculum implementation. Data analysis utilized template analysis and thematic coding.

Results: Faculty perceived barriers included limited time for teaching health equity, challenges in prioritizing health equity content within the curriculum, lack of formal training and expertise, discomfort in leading discussions, and institutional barriers such as resource allocation and lack of buy-in.

Conclusions: Findings underscored the need for institutionally supported faculty development and protected learning time for health equity education. Despite participant recruitment and representation limitations, the study provides valuable insights for addressing curricular challenges. This study highlights critical areas for improving health equity curriculum implementation in graduate medical education. Addressing these faculty barriers can enhance resident competency in identifying and addressing healthcare disparities.

Trial registration: The study received approval from the Thomas Jefferson Institutional Review Board (IRB #22E.762).

Keywords: Faculty curricular barriers; Graduate medical education; Health care disparities; Health equity; Residency faculty perspectives.

MeSH terms

Curriculum*
Education, Medical, Graduate*
Faculty, Medical*
Female
Focus Groups
Health Equity*
Humans
Internship and Residency*
Male
Qualitative Research*