The Actionable Education Initiative (AEI) invites the entire School of Medicine to listen, learn and act to move from awareness of internal biases and external forces of marginalization and oppression into learning about their historical and psychological origins and effects and on to growing into allies who actively work for and prize diversity, equity and inclusion. This work occurs in four domains:
Health Equity
These resources aim to equip faculty, staff and learners with the knowledge and tools for identify, challenge and eliminate policies, practices, systems and structures that promote or maintain inequities suppressing marginalized people. Becoming an institution that advances health equity not only benefits the faculty, staff, and learners of Emory School of Medicine, it profoundly benefits the patients we serve, which, in turn benefits the institution itself. We hope these resources, strategies and practices allow you to actively promote an environment of authentic engagement, advocacy and leadership both within the School of Medicine and beyond.
Implicit Bias Education
Building on the foundation laid by the School of Medicine’s first two years of then-termed unconscious bias training and leveraging best and emerging practices research, these resources aim to move participants from awareness and understanding to action for personal and systems change. Resources include the Office of Equity and Inclusion's implicit bias training program, implicit bias training modules from other institutions like The Ohio State University and the National Institutes of Health, implicit association tests and a communication for inclusion course available in Emory's Learning Management System.
From Bystander to Upstander
Bystander/upstander education is an action-based framework for responding to microaggressions, misconduct and other behaviors that threaten the inclusive environment in the School of Medicine and the hospitals and clinics where we provide care. Participants will gain a toolbox of real-time responses and self-defense actions when targeted by microaggressions and threatening behavior. As an upstander institution, we will ensure adequate reporting and responding structures are in place and those in power have the tools to effectively respond to and support victims.
History
History provides the foundation upon which our OEI education pillars stand, offering a living repository to which knowledge of the past will be added as it is garnered and to which the lived experiences of our community are added as they occur. Initiatives will dovetail with the university’s broader commitment to know, tell and learn about the histories of our community members. These resources explore our own SOM history, as well as such history for the Grady Health System, Morehouse School of Medicine, Woodruff Health Sciences Center, Emory Healthcare and the city of Atlanta.