Improving biology faculty diversity through a co-hiring policy and faculty agents of change.

Persons Excluded due to Ethnicity and Race (PEERs) remain underrepresented in university faculties, particularly in science, technology, engineering, math and medicine (STEMM) fields, despite increasing representation among students, and mounting evidence supporting the importance of PEER faculty in positively impacting both scientific and educational outcomes. In fact, the ratio of PEER faculty to students has been steadily dropping since 2000. In our case study, we examine the factors that explain creation of an unusually diverse faculty within a biology department. We analyzed nearly 40 years of hiring data in the study department and show that this department (the study department), historically and currently, maintains a significantly higher proportion of PEERs on faculty as compared to two national datasets. Additionally, we identify factors that contributed to hiring of PEERs into tenure and tenure-track positions. We observed a significant increase in the hiring of PEERs concurrent with the implementation of a co-hiring policy (p = 0.04) which allowed a single search to make two hires when at least one candidate was a PEER. In contrast, three key informants at sister departments reported that co-hiring policies did not result in PEER hires, but instead different practices were effective. In line with one of these practices, we observe a possible association between search committees with at least one PEER member and PEER hiring (p = 0.055). Further, the presence of particular faculty members (Agents of Change) on search committees is associated with PEER hiring. In this case study the combination of a co-hire policy based on the principle of interest-convergence to redress hiring inequities, along with the presence of agents of change, increased faculty PEER representation in STEMM departments.

Cultivating cultural capitals in introductory algebra-based physics through reflective journaling.

At a large, diverse, hispanic-serving, master's-granting university, the Alma Project was created to support the rich connections of life experiences of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students that come from racially diverse backgrounds through reflective journaling. Utilizing frameworks in ethnic studies and social psychology, the Alma Project aims to make learning STEM inclusive by affirming the intersectional identities and cultural wealth that students bring into STEM classrooms. Approximately once per month students who participate in the Alma Project spend 5-10 min at the beginning of class responding to questions designed to affirm their values and purpose for studying STEM in college. Students then spend time in class sharing their responses with their peers, to the extent that they feel comfortable, including common struggles and successes in navigating through college and STEM spaces. For this study, we analyze 180 reflective journaling essays of students enrolled in General Physics I, an algebra-based introductory physics course primarily for life science majors. Students were enrolled in a required lab, a self-selected community-based learning program (Supplemental Instruction), or in a small number of instances, both. Using the community cultural wealth framework to anchor our analysis, we identified 11 cultural capitals that students often expressed within these physics spaces. Students in both populations frequently expressed aspirational, attainment, and navigational capital, while expressions of other cultural capitals, such as social capital, differ in the two populations. Our findings suggest that students bring rich and diverse perspectives into physics classrooms when asked to reflect about their lived experiences. Moreover, our study provides evidence that reflective journaling can be used as an asset-based teaching tool. By using reflective journaling in physics spaces, recognizing students' assets has the potential for physics educators to leverage students' lived experiences, goals, and values to make physics learning more meaningful and engaging.

Effect of a weight-based prescribing method within an electronic health record on prescribing errors.

PURPOSE: The effect of a weight-based prescribing method within the electronic health record (EHR) on the rate of prescribing errors was studied. METHODS: A report was generated listing all patients who received a prescription by a clinic provider for either infants' or children's acetaminophen or ibuprofen from January 1 to July 28, 2005 (preintervention group) and from July 29 to December 30, 2005 (postintervention group). Patients were included if they were 12 years old or younger, had a prescription ordered for infants' or children's acetaminophen or ibuprofen within the EHR, and had a weight documented in the chart on the visit day. The dosing range for acetaminophen was 10-15 mg/kg every four to six hours as needed, and the regimen for ibuprofen was 5-10 mg/kg every six to eight hours as needed. Dosing errors were defined as overdosage of strength, overdosage of regimen, underdosage of strength, under-dosage of regimen, and incomprehensible dosing directions. RESULTS: Totals of 316 and 224 patient visits were analyzed from the preintervention and postintervention groups, respectively. Significantly more medication errors were found in the preintervention group than in the postintervention group (103 versus 46, p = 0.002). Significantly fewer strength overdosing errors occurred in the postintervention group (8.9% versus 4.0%, p = 0.028). CONCLUSION: An automated weight-based dosing calculator integrated into an EHR system in the outpatient setting significantly reduced medication prescribing errors for antipyretics prescribed to pediatric patients. This effect appeared to be strongest for reducing overdose errors.

An evidence-based approach to hormonal contraception and headaches.

Some controversy exists regarding contraceptive management in women with migraines, particularly migraines with aura. The available scientific literature indicates that combined hormonal contraception is safe with most headache subtypes. However, it should be avoided in women with migraine with aura and women with simple migraines who have other risk factors for stroke. Progestin only contraceptives as well as the copper intrauterine device can be safely used in women with migraines. Accurate classification of a patient's headache type can avoid unnecessary restriction of effective contraceptive methods, particularly those containing estrogen.