The Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion offers many educational trainings that foster diversity, equity, and inclusion.
In part two of our two-part series, we discuss courses that promote an inclusive clinical and academic environment.
All are welcome to engage in educational training that best suits their role. Training is at no cost and offered flexibly.
For researchers
A faculty training, “Diversity and Inclusion in Research,” is taught by Raegan Durant, M.D, associate dean of Diversity and Inclusion and professor in the Division of Preventive Medicine, and discusses health disparities, participation of minoritized groups in clinical research, and reporting. Durant discusses how investigators can work with minoritized groups and best practices for recruitment.
The course helps investigators prepare for their work by offering several resources at UAB. It also gives an overview of takeaways to get started in research with health disparities. For more information, reach out to rdurant@uabmc.edu.
For faculty, staff, and students
The 60-minute interactive workshop, “How to Move from Being a Bystander to Being an Upstander,” can be presented over Zoom or in-person. Sessions and case studies can be tailored to students, faculty, and staff.
The course is designed to empower participants with essential tools to navigate challenging moments and make a difference for someone experiencing harm.
Using the evidence-based 5Ds framework, the workshop provides an opportunity for participants to gain knowledge and skills to be active bystanders ("upstanders") in service of others who are facing hate or harassment. By learning and applying 5Ds to case studies, the aim is that participants leave feeling more assured about responding when they witness hate or harassment on campus.
Key terms applied in case studies include the following:
Bystanding
A bystander is an individual who observes or witnesses a situation of discrimination or violence committed by a perpetrator towards a victim, and has the opportunity to either condone, intervene, or do nothing (Rodenhizer-Stämpfli et al., 2018; Barnyard, 2011, as cited in Henson et al., 2020).
Upstanding
An upstander is a bystander who recognizes acts or utterances of injustice and takes a stand by interrupting and challenging situations that normalize discrimination and potential violence. (Nelson et al., 2011; Grantham, 2011; Parrott et al., 2020).
The “Bystander Effect” refers to the psychological phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help or intervene due to the ambiguity of the situation, the inhibiting presence of multiple bystanders (diffusion of responsibility), and the social influence of other people’s inaction (Henson et al., 2020; Madden & Loh, 2020; Jenkins & Nickerson, 2019; Bystander, 2006).
The 5Ds Framework refers to different methods – Distract, Delegate, Document, Delay, and Direct – that can be used to support someone who’s being harassed, emphasize that harassment is not okay, and demonstrate that people have the power to make their community safer.
The 5 D’s are designed to be safe and not to escalate situations. In fact, four of them are indirect methods of intervention.
More trainings
Read Part 1 of our series to engage in other training offered by the Office for Diversity and Inclusion.
Similarly, the UAB Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion also offers a selection of education courses, open to all. Visit their website to enroll in a class in 2024.
For more information or questions, please contact Leisha Hultgren, Ph.D. or visit the Office for Diversity and Inclusion’s Education webpage. Please note that courses are optional, free of charge, and open to all. Stay tuned for Part 2 of our series that will discuss more options for training in 2024.