UC Davis

In 2020, amidst increased awareness of anti-Black racism in the United States, medical education sought to expand its curriculum to incorporate racism as a key factor contributing to unequal health outcomes. However, the pedagogical approach to antiracism educational interventions is poorly understood and described. Racial Affinity Group Caucuses (RAGC) have been utilized in K-12 literature and recently used in undergraduate and graduate medical education. The RAGC format offers the opportunity for differentiated learning. Early findings in research with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) learners suggest that these caucuses can be a powerful supplement to the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) curriculum. This study explored the intersection of racism, medical education, and antiracism efforts, focusing on RAGCs within a pediatric residency program. The findings revealed that RAGC sessions (1) provided psychological safety for residents, (2) facilitated critical conversations about racism, and (3) reduced the diversity tax that BIPOC residents experience while navigating racial inequities within the institution. The findings underscore the significance of RAGC as a transformative tool for fostering psychological safety and critical consciousness and strengthening the sense of community within medical education, with implications for health professions education and other academic environments and when utilized in conjunction with an antiracism curriculum.