Improving stereotypes: The impact of interprofessional education in pre-health students.

Research within interprofessional education (IPE) indicates health professional students hold stereotypes of other health professions at all stages within their academic journey. IPE can minimize negative stereotypes and influence a student's willingness and readiness to collaborate with others. This article explores undergraduate pre-health student stereotypes of various health professionals at the beginning and end of a six-week summer academic enrichment program, which included IPE. Convenience sampling was used to request participation in a survey, which included the Student Stereotypes Ratings Questionnaire (SSRQ). The SSRQ asks students to rate their perception of health professions on multiple traits. One hundred pre-health students across three institutions completed the SSRQ. The mean scores across all professions and all traits increased post-survey. Lowest pre-mean scores were for nursing (the ability to work independently and the ability to lead a team) and registered dietitian (the ability to lead a team). The highest pre-mean score was for the physician profession for academic ability. Results from this study indicate varying levels of stereotypes have already developed in pre-health students. After the six-week program, pre-health students' perceptions of health professions were positively affected. Data from this study indicates there are benefits to exposing pre-health students to IPE.

Advancing Diversity and Inclusion: An Organized Approach Through a Medical Specialty Academy.

BACKGROUND: The benefits of a diverse workforce in medicine have been previously described. While the population of the United States has become increasingly diverse, this has not occurred in the physician workforce. In academic medicine, underrepresented in medicine (URiM) faculty are less likely to be promoted or retained in academic institutions. Studies suggest that mentorship and engagement increase the likelihood of development, retention, and promotion. However, it is not clear what form of mentorship creates these changes. The Academy for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Medicine (ADIEM), an academy within the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, is a group focused on advancing diversity and inclusion as well as promoting the development of its URiM students, residents, and faculty. The Academy serves many of the functions of a mentoring program. We assessed whether active involvement in ADIEM led to increased publications, promotion, or leadership advancement in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. METHODS: We performed a survey of ADIEM members to determine if career development and productivity, defined as written scholarly products, presentations, and mentorship in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion was enhanced by the establishment of the academy. To determine whether there were significant changes in academic accomplishments after the formation of ADIEM, two groups, ADIEM leaders and ADIEM nonleader members, were examined. RESULTS: Thirteen ADIEM leaders and 14 ADIEM nonleader members completed the survey. Academic productivity in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion increased significantly among ADIEM leaders when compared to ADIEM nonleader members after the founding of ADIEM. In particular, in the ADIEM leader group, there were significant increases in manuscript publications (1.31 ± 1.6 to 5.5 ± 7.96, p = 0.12), didactic presentations (3.85 ± 7.36 to 23.46 ± 44.52, p < 0.01), grand rounds presentations (0.83 ± 1.75 to 8.6 ± 10.71, p < 0.05), and student/resident mentees (6.46 ± 9.36 to 25 ± 30.41, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: The formation of a specialized academy within a national medical society has advanced academic accomplishments in diversity, equity, and inclusion in emergency medicine among ADIEM leadership. Involvement of URiM and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender faculty in the academy fostered faculty development, mentoring, and educational scholarship.