Deconstructing Racism for Healthcare Professionals

The course is designed to introduce the students to a critical analysis of race, racism and the social and political construct of race through the lens of a socio-historical framework. The course includes lectures and interactive seminars that explore racial oppression, the invention of race, structural violence, racial identity and privilege from a systems and personal perspective and examine how these constructs and feelings interact with and impact the health care system and health care professionals. The course will provide a safe space and a pedagogical model for community-centered, culturally inclusive, respectful and socio-historical dialogue for students. Students will be encouraged to critically analyze and engage in introspection regarding internalized assumptions, attitudes and self-identity.