(362) Incorporation of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism Principles into the Pharmacy Classroom: An Exploratory Review

Objective : To gather evidence on ways to integrate DEIA into the didactic and experiential pharmacy classroom based on AACP’s 2021-2024 Strategic Plan Objective 3.3.1. to “compile and publish resources related to best practices in inclusive pedagogy, creating inclusive classrooms, navigating difficult conversations, and promoting equitable campus climates for use by schools and colleges of pharmacy”. This evidence would be useful to the pharmacy academy in its efforts to foster DEIA principles into the classroom setting and ultimately in the profession.

Methods: An exploratory review was conducted to identify literature using databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education (AJPE), and AACP poster abstracts from 2020-2023. Keywords used were “DEIA,” “DEIA in classrooms,” “diversity,” “equity,” “inclusion,” “microaggression,” “disabilities,” and “pharmacy education”. Excluded were literature focused on DEIA in “curriculum,” “recruitment,” “co-curriculum,” and “task force”. Poster abstract authors were contacted directly to get a copy of the poster so that more information could be gathered from the poster.

Results: Nine publications were identified (7 peer reviewed manuscripts and two poster abstracts). Of those, three explored the utilization of technology to make lesson plans more inclusive; three discussed ways for students to address racial biases, microaggressions and navigating difficult conversations; two focused on accommodating students with disabilities; and one discussed developing better pronunciation of students’ names.

Conclusions: These publications cover useful DEIA topics; however, the author is in the process of using other DEIA-related key words to build a compilation of resources to meet the stated strategic objective. The project's end goal will be to compile an evidence-based guideline that can be used by the pharmacy academy to incorporate DEIA into the classrooms.