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Medical Education to Enhance Critical Consciousness: Facilitators' Experiences
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Medical Education to Enhance Critical Consciousness: Facilitators' Experiences

Zareen Zaidi, Rashmi Vyas, Danielle Verstegen, Page Morahan and Tim Dornan
Academic medicine, v 92(11), pp S93-S99
01 Nov 2017
PMID: 29065029
url
https://doi.org/10.1097/acm.0000000000001907View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Maybe Open Access (Publisher Bronze) Open

Abstract

Education & Educational Research Education, Scientific Disciplines Health Care Sciences & Services Life Sciences & Biomedicine Science & Technology Social Sciences
Purpose To analyze educators' experiences of facilitating cultural discussions in two global health professions education programs and what these experiences had taught them about critical consciousness. Method A multicultural research team conducted in-depth interviews with 16 faculty who had extensive experience facilitating cultural discussions. They analyzed transcripts of the interviews thematically, drawing sensitizing insights from Gramsci's theory of cultural hegemony. Collaboration and conversation helped the team self-consciously examine their positions toward the data set and be critically reflexive. Results Participant faculty used their prior experience facilitating cultural discussions to create a "safe space" in which learners could develop critical consciousness. During multicultural interactions they recognized and explicitly addressed issues related to power differentials, racism, implicit bias, and gender bias. They noted the need to be "facile in attending to pain" as learners brought up traumatic experiences and other sensitive issues including racism and the impact of power dynamics. They built relationships with learners by juxtaposing and exploring the sometimes-conflicting norms of different cultures. Participants were reflective about their own understanding and tendency to be biased. They aimed to break free of such biases while role modeling how to have the courage to speak up. Conclusions Experience had given facilitators in multicultural programs an understanding of their responsibility to promote critical consciousness and social justice. How faculty without prior experience or expertise could develop those values and skills is a topic for future research.

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15 citations in Scopus

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Education, Scientific Disciplines
Health Care Sciences & Services
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