Curriculum for Advancing Racial Equity (CARE)

Program description

CARE was developed as an anti-racism curriculum specifically for dermatology residency programs. Residents who complete this curriculum will be able to:

• recognize the impact of structural racism on health and health care,

• recognize and address racial microaggressions aimed at patients and physicians of color,

• engage in perspective-taking to minimize bias and stereotyping when interacting with patients and physicians of color, and

• investigate and address the impact of clinical and administrative actions that produce adverse effects for people of color.

CARE consists of five virtual workshops (10 hours total) that can be offered every 2-3 weeks; it can also be offered as an in-person weekend intensive program. The in-person option is highly recommended. Regardless of format, CARE is a highly interactive experience that includes small group discussions and uses a framework that unpacks racism at the interpersonal, institutional, and structural levels. Participants will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to make a difference at every level.

The program was developed by Solomé Rose Consulting (SRC), with a grant from SkinBetter Science and Allergan Aesthetics, an Abbvie Company, and piloted at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Science’s Department of Dermatology in 2021. The AAD Intersociety Diversity Task Force, in collaboration with SRC and SkinBetter Science, successfully launched CARE at five inaugural sites in 2022. The peer-reviewed, highly rated curriculum incorporates multiple pedagogical tools to foster engagement and participation, including a patient case study.

Curriculum implementation

The AAD is offering the CARE curriculum as a virtual training or an intensive in person weekend experience. The AAD will select up to 8 residency programs to participate in the program, ending in May 2025. To participate in this offering, institutions must complete and submit an application.

Once approved, the institution is required to:

1. Designate a coordinator who will work directly with the AAD to facilitate successful execution of the program, including scheduling of the five 2-hour sessions or the in-person weekend intensive program.

2. Participate in a preliminary call with the AAD and curriculum developer to discuss the overall goals of the project, establish a timeline, and discuss any relevant DEI related work that the department has undertaken.

3. Based on the initial call, the institution will be matched with a trained facilitator who will facilitate the workshops.

4. Administer a pre- and post-evaluation.