Avoiding another 50-year setback: Responding to the Supreme Court and State Anti-DEI Efforts

Monday, April 8, 2024

4:15 PM - 5:45 PM East Coast USA Time

Location: Ambassador Duke

Presenter(s)

Es

Edward salsberg, MPA (he/him/his)

Lead Research Scientist
Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity/George Washington University
GWU Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Panelist(s)

Toyese Oyeyemi

Executive Director
Social Mission Alliance
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Maria L. Portela, MD,MPH

Health Workforce Diversity Initiative
GW/SMA/Mullan Institute
BETHESDA, Maryland, United States

Presenter(s)

Margaret Ziemann, MPH

Research Scientist
The George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Panelist(s)

Mark Henderson, MD, FACP

Associate Dean of Admissions
UC Davis School of Medicine
Sacramento, California, United States
Makeen Yasar, MD Candidate, B.S. (he/him/his)

Medical Student (MS1)
Charles. R. Drew University College of Medicine
Charles R. Drew University College of Medicine
Los Angeles, California, United States

The 2023 Supreme Court ban on affirmative action in college admissions along with state efforts to restrict diversity, equity, & inclusion (DEI) programs and policies have created new hurdles to educating a more diverse workforce. While evidence suggests that these recent court decisions and state policies will reduce student body diversity and impede equity efforts in health professions education, there are actions that states and schools can take to mitigate their impact. In fact, the constraints imposed by these policies provide an opportunity - and necessitate action - to reimagine and transform approaches to advancing equity in higher education and health professions training programs specifically.

In this special ""Listening and Visioning"" session, participants will briefly hear from a panel of academic leaders, researchers, equity advocates and students to explore the impact of anti-DEI efforts in health professions education before turning to the second half of the session focused on listening to and learning from attendees. Attendee interaction is intended to spur discussion around 1) priority strategies and opportunities to protect DEI in health professions education, 2) the supports and resources that are needed to advance and leverage these strategies, and 3) the stakeholders who are positioned to provide them.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion, participants will be able to better assess the potential impact of the SCOTUS decision and state anti-DEI efforts on the diversity of graduates of health professions education programs.
Upon completion, participant will have an understanding of the strategies states and schools are using to continue to promote a more diverse health workforce.
Upon completion, participants will be more knowledgeable of alternatives to the direct use of race in admissions in order to promote a diverse health workforce.
Upon completion, participants will be be more aware of the potential to collaborate with schools and state policy makers to support policies that appear permissible under the SCOTUS decision.
Upon completion, participants will understand the potential role of the SMA in assisting the health professions education community maintain and increase the diversity of health professions students.