Ally and Bias
Ally
Equity Quest
Incorporating equity and diversity principles into the search and selection process is imperative. A diverse workforce (students/residents/faculty) improves residency culture, teaches inclusion, fosters innovation, and optimizes patient outcomes.
Some residency programs at the º£½ÇÉçÇø have implemented EDI initiatives into their CaRMS selection process, but not all program directors know where to start. As such, Dr. Lindsay Bridgland and Dr. Tehseen Ladha have developed , in collaboration with the º£½ÇÉçÇø's Learning Design Studio, to help raise awareness of unconscious bias and incorporate equity into the CaRMS search and selection process.
The video is educational and engaging with the hope that it will stimulate self-reflection and inspire further learning. This video may also be used for other search and selection committees within the FoMD.
On Being an Ally
Being an ally requires commitment and work. To be an ally is to acknowledge one’s privilege and to advocate for those with less privilege. The goal is to break down systems that challenge the values of equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism. Allyship is not passive — it is an active process that involves intentional learning, unlearning, and re-evaluation. It is the recognition of social and cultural injustice and the active pursuit of social justice.
Being an ally can be uncomfortable. An ally will surely make mistakes, but they acknowledge their mistakes, apologize, and vow to do better next time. Allies promote their colleagues, foster trust, and seek out ways to transfer their power and privilege to those who lack it.
Dr. Aimee Bouka says it best: to be an ally is to “look for the most oppressed and marginalized in the room. Guaranteeing their voice and freedom benefits everyone.”
How to overcome our biases? Walk boldly toward them
Implicit Bias — Concepts Unwrapped
Stereotype Threat: What is it, and how does it affect us?
Stereotype threat is a psychological phenomenon in which individuals feel at risk of conforming to negative stereotypes about their social group.
Stereotypes exist about every culture/group/social identity. Stereotype threat occurs when people are aware of a particular stereotype related to their identity (such as their race, age, or gender) and the anxiety of confirming that stereotype negatively affects their performance.
Stereotype threat typically occurs in high-stakes situations (exams, professional evaluations, interviews, etc.). Performance is impeded by whichever social identity stereotype a person feels is most obvious in their circumstance. For example, the stereotype "white men can't jump" may lead white high jumpers to fail clearing the bar at their usual height in high-level competitions. Another negative stereotype, "women aren't good at math", may lead women math majors to perform worse than men on examinations.
Stereotype threat may explain long-standing differences in performance outcomes for various social groups rather than truly representing differences between social groups.
Dissociating stereotypes and identifying positive role models in marginalized groups can help combat stereotype threat. When there is greater representation of minority identities, a critical mass is formed, which can result in the dissipation of stereotype threat and an enhancement of psychological safety.
The following 3-minute video further explains stereotype threat.
Unconscious Bias
QUICK! What does a cow drink? The first response most people think of is "milk". But cows drink water, not milk. Unconscious bias leads us to associate cows with milk. We think and act based on pre-existing assumptions, associations and meanings that are already stored in our mind, based on our past life experiences and other influences, including media, educational upbringing, and religious, cultural and social values. These pre-existing programs in our brains allow us to make quick assessments and split-second decisions, but they also unknowingly affect our behaviours.
We all have unconscious bias. Although these biases are often contrary to our conscious values and ideals, unconscious bias can be a greater predictor of behaviour than our conscious values (Dovidio and Gaertner, 2004). Unconscious bias can show up on many levels — in personal relationships, organizations and systems. We must all make an effort to identify our unconscious biases that cloud our interactions and engagement with others.
Creating awareness of bias is similar to hitting the "pause"' button. Hitting the "pause" button allows for the opportunity to recognize our biases and to challenge perspectives involving people and organizations with different worldviews, languages and ways of being.