Structural Racism in Health Care & Research Course

This free course, sponsored by the UR CTSI and Center for Community Health & Prevention, explores how the history of racism has shaped the relationship between doctors/researchers and patients/research participants who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).

Many of us know about the Tuskegee syphilis experiment in which effective treatment was withheld from Black men, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. There have been countless abusive medical studies and practices since the time of slavery to present day. Enslaved individuals were experimented on, including surgical techniques without anesthesia. In the 19^th century, students at American medical schools stole the corpses of recently buried Black people to be used for dissection. Birth control measures were disproportionately tested in Black women. Between the 1930s and 1970s there was a program of forced sterilization of Puerto Rican women.

Critically examining and acknowledging the history of racism in our health care and research systems is essential to closing the health equity gap.

About the Course

This course is open to University of Rochester faculty, staff, trainees and students as well as community members (typically from community-based organizations).

Developed by community partners, this course provides foundational knowledge of critical race theory and structural competency. At the end of the course participants should understand that racism, and not race, causes health disparities. They should also have a clear understanding of why mistrust of the health care system and the long history of their exploitation in research, is the primary reason for BIPOC individuals not participating in research studies.

Traci Terrance, PhD and John Cullen, PhD utilize a restorative practices approach in facilitation of the course. Each session will include discussion and explore personal identity and bias, as well as historic content. The cohort will include 24 individuals, 12 UR and 12 from community organizations. Learn more about how community members led the development and implementation of the course in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science.

Course Development Team

Apply

We welcome applications from staff, faculty, students and community members (unaffiliated with UR). Attendance at all sessions is an expectation of participation. Due to high interest in the course, all applicants will be considered and participants will be chosen randomly from applications. Notifications will be sent approximately 2 weeks in advance of the course start date.

Apply for the course here. The deadline for submitting an application is Monday, March 18 at 5:00 pm.

Course Sessions

Sessions take place on Wednesday evenings at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 2000 Highland Ave, Rochester, NY 14618. Please plan to attend all 5 in-person sessions. Virtual discussion sessions are optional/drop in. If you have questions, please email Laura_Sugarwala@URMC.Rochester.edu.

Dedication to Edgar Santa Cruz

The planning and facilitation team dedicates this course to Edgar Santa Cruz, a social worker and dedicated public servant who passed away tragically at the end of 2022. Edgar was a past participant of this course and was going to begin facilitating the course in the spring of 2023. We grieve the loss of our friend and colleague and hope to carry on his memory through this work. 

Photo courtesy of Cameron Ministries.