Implicit Bias and Patient Care: Mitigating Bias, Preventing Harm

Date of Review: January, 2025

This resource discusses methods to address implicit bias that consultants may have in the emergency medicine setting and specifically discusses how simulation sessions are the most appropriate methodology to teach implicit bias training given the “real life” exposure. This resource is targeted to pediatric, EM, and pediatric EM learners (med students, residents, fellows, and attendings). This resource utilized sim sessions as the teaching modality – this sim session occurrs independently or as part of a larger curriculum focused on Discussing Anti-racism and Equity in Emergency Medicine (DARE EM). Given the fact that this is meant to be a single session, I believe it may not have as big of an impact if used independently – it likely would be more effective if embedded within a larger SDOH curriculum such as the DARE- EM program. However, this resource includes standardized patient HPI, images, and scripts that can be easily distributed, making it easy to be implemented by any other institution. Given the context of the resource specifically targets addressing implicit bias in consulting teams, I feel it has the ability to be used beyond the targeted audience of peds, EM, PEM, given the multiple specialties that use and interact with consulting services.  —Deepa Daryani, MD, NCEAS

Corresponding Author’s Email:

hannahbethbarber@gmail.com

Institution:

Boston University School of Medicine

Where was the Curriculum Implemented:

Boston, Massachusetts

Relevant Specialty:

Emergency Medicine, Pediatrics

Outcomes that Have Been Reported for the Curriculum:

Self-reported learner attitude

Self-reported learner knowledge

Self-reported learner behavior in simulated setting

Outcome and Study Design:

Post Only

Level of Learner Assessment

Appreciation of content/attitude assessment (self-reflection, blogging with rubric)

Demonstration of skill in a controlled environment (OSCE, Simulation)