858: THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A HEALTH EQUITY CURRICULUM IN A PEDIATRIC CRITICAL CARE FELLOWSHIP

Abstract

Introduction: Bias and racism in medicine perpetuate health disparities. In response, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has instituted program requirements to address diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in training programs. Little guidance has been given regarding the structure and content of these curricula. As such, we aim to describe the structure and function of an integrated health equity curriculum at the pediatric critical care medicine (PCCM) fellowship program at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and present our curriculum as a model for other training programs. Methods: Attendings, fellows, research assistants, and administrators serve on the Health Equity Committee (HEC). HEC is divided into three domains: education, research, and community engagement. Education topics include understanding institutional racism in medicine, mitigating bias and microaggressions, and local patterns of disparate outcomes (i.e. violence, asthma, etc). The research domain incorporates health equity into research and quality improvement projects. The community engagement domain is involved in patient education in Philadelphia and recruitment initiatives for medical students who are underrepresented in medicine. Results: Over the first 24 months, HEC has conducted nine lectures, four journal clubs, three health equity case conferences, and an interactive session regarding a structured response to microaggressions. Nationally, HEC directed a PCCM survey to assess diversity engagement across fellowship programs and identify areas for improvement; locally, HEC is working to improve the utilization of interpreters and partnering with CHOP’s Center for Health Equity to increase CPR teaching in Philadelphia. Most importantly, HEC activities are fully integrated into existing fellow education with high expectations for participation and accountability. Conclusions: The CHOP PCCM HEC is a feasible and generalizable model for implementing a DEI curriculum. HEC fosters an environment that integrates DEI into the education of pediatric critical care fellows. Integrating DEI-focused education, research, and community engagement sustainably modeled by HEC can contribute to the elimination of disparities and bias in the care of critically ill children.