An exploratory study on microaggressions in medical school: What are they and why should we care?

Abstract

Introduction Microaggressions and their impact have been documented in minority college students; however, little is known about the experience of medical students. This study reports the prevalence and understanding of microaggressions among medical students at the University of Florida College of Medicine (UFCOM), while gaining insights into experiences of medical students dealing with microaggressions. Method A nine-question survey was sent out to all medical students at the UFCOM in the spring of 2017 to understand their experiences with microaggressions. The authors used simple statistics and chi-test to analyze the demographic data and an inductive thematic qualitative analysis was performed on the open-ended responses to study medical students’ understanding of the term, experiences, and impact of microaggressions. Results The response rate was 64% ( n = 351/545). Fifty-four percent reported experiencing microaggressions, of those the majority were female students (73% compared with 51% among male students, p = 0.0003); for female students from minority backgrounds this was 68% and for white female students 76% ( p = 0.2606). Microaggressions are more common in the second year of medical school (30%), followed by the third year (23%). Most students were able to recognize and identify microaggressions, but some denied the concept existed, attributing concerns about microaggressions to a culture promoting oversensitivity and political correctness. Students described microaggressions related to sexism; religion; skin colour; and ethnicity. Students described indifference, emotional reactions and denial of the event as coping mechanisms. Conclusion Microaggressions are prevalent on a day-to-day basis among medical students with female students from a minority background as well as white female students experiencing more microaggressions. Further research is needed to explore interventions to counter microaggressions in order to ensure a healthy learning environment.

Addressing Microaggressions in Academic Health: A Workshop for Inclusive Excellence

“…Microaggressions experienced by students in health professions and how to respond to these situations have become part of a discussion about ensuring that students of all backgrounds are poised to succeed in health professions schools. [1][2][3][4] The term microaggression describes a form of discrimination that, though often unintentional, can be communicated through verbal, nonverbal, and environmental messages. 5 Chester Pierce first used the term in 1970 to describe everyday racial slights and indignities.…”

Six ways to get a grip by calling-out racism and enacting allyship in medical education

“…Microaggressions, as defined earlier, are "statements and/or actions directed towards traditionally marginalized groups that act as indirect, subtle, and unintentional discrimination," which perpetuate marginalized experiences. [11][12][13][14]2 At the time of the transgression, breaking the silence by asking "really?" or "perhaps I have misunderstood you?"…”

“…10 While increasingly recognized as critical to address in medical education, microaggressions, defined as "statements and/or actions directed towards a traditionally marginalized group, such as a racial minority that act as indirect, subtle, and unintentional discrimination" need to be addressed in and by medical education. [11][12][13][14] Many of us have witnessed or perpetrated microaggressions in our learning environments. Some examples include inappropriate remarks framed as jokes referring to another's sexual orientation, race, or religious affiliation, or an individual continuing to interchange names of trainees of a racial minority because they "look alike."…”

Communication training is inadequate: the role of deception, non-verbal communication, and cultural proficiency

“…These experiences are often filtered through a bias-condoning hidden curriculum, have limited duration or consistency. Further, we have not yet succeeded in controlling cultural microaggressions against our diverse learners [ 53 – 55 ], let alone making it a suitable environment for students to expand their ability to communicate with marginalized groups. The net-effect of diversity exposure on attitudes via contact is positive, but only when meaningful ties are established [ 20 ].…”