Challenging Racism: Working and teaching with active racial awareness in clinical contexts workshops
Why are these workshops important?
There is no question that in our medical school, as in all medical schools, students from BAME (Black Asian & Minority Ethnic) backgrounds achieve less well academically than their white counterparts. We see this time after time in students failing exams and not achieving honours. The Attainment Gap Working Group have been working hard to understand why this is- it is complex and results from many separate factors. I personally have been shocked to listen to some of the experiences of our BAME students.
At WMS we want to lead the way in tackling this “attainment gap”. As a first step we are training all of our staff and students in active racial awareness. This session has been developed for us specifically, so is relevant to the particular issues for medical students. It is for all staff, however you come into contact with students. Working together on this is the only way we are going to make an impact and provide a level playing field for all of our students.
Dr Kate Owen
Deputy Head MBChB
Director of Medical Studies
MB ChB Lead for Teaching and Learning
Who are these workshops for?
Challenging Racism workshops are aimed at any NHS or University staff who teach or interact with Warwick Medical School medical students. This includes medical, nursing and other allied professional clinicians and administration staff - if you meet our medical students face-to-face (or the online equivalent) in your NHS working/teaching capacity, then this workshop is for you.
You will learn about different types of racism and how to recognise them, and discuss ways of responding to racism. The workshops involve a taught component/presentation and a lot of time for discussion and questions.
Between October 2020 - July 2022 these workshops were called Working and Teaching with Active racial Awareness. Challenging Racism workshops contain the same taught content, the difference the inclusion of films to prompt discussions. Some Challenging Racism workshops may be focussed specifically for a particular staff group with specific scenarios to discuss.
Workshops need a minimum number of attendees to enable good discussions to take place. Workshops will be cancelled if there are 6 or fewer people registered.
What do I have to do?
Next available dates:
- Thursday 21st March 2024 14:00 – 16:00 in person, WMS Gibbet Hill MTC 004/006 (this session is full but we are operating a waiting list)
- Friday 14th June 2024 10:00 – 12:00 in person, WMS Gibbet Hill GLT4
2. Download and read the pre-course reading in the right hand column at the top of this page.