Fostering Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Tools and Their Implementation In Medical Physics Education
Abstract
Purpose
Championing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are strategic goals of the AAPM and COMP, however, actions to advance EDI in education are limited. The current work describes the development of innovative resources to support integration of EDI in teaching and research, as well as their deployment in medical physics graduate training.
Methods
Two open educational resources were developed to empower scientists to initiate actions to advance EDI. The Teaching Toolkit, “Science is for everyone: Integrating equity, diversity and inclusion in teaching science and engineering – a toolkit for instructors”, and Research Pocket Guide, “Striving for inclusive excellence in science and engineering research: a pocket guide”, focus on practical, actionable ideas to engage with EDI. Actions, activities, and tools from these resources have been adopted to integrate EDI in medical physics graduate training.
Results
Specific practices to foster inclusive research and learning spaces, student-centered creative activities, and interactive workshops were integrated in medical physics training. Examples from within a graduate course include students’ investigation of the importance of EDI considerations in medical physics professional practice and patient care, and self-directed research to identify a medical physics hero based on the hero’s contributions to the discipline and student’s personal rationale. Examples within graduate training include engagement in interactive workshops, e.g., inclusive mentoring, research team EDI Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (“SWOT-EDI Edition”). Activities supported developing competencies in integrating EDI considerations throughout the research process from question to methodology to dissemination of results.
Conclusion
The Teaching Toolkit and Research Pocket Guide are unique with their colourful graphics and novel collections of activities to engage with EDI in education. Feedback from students and colleagues has been overwhelmingly positive, with professionals at other institutions adopting these freely-available resources. It is hoped that the Toolkit and Pocket Guide will facilitate integration of EDI in medical physics training and beyond.