Abstract
Throughout history, race and ethnicity have been used as key descriptors to categorize and label individuals. The use of these concepts as variables can impact resources, policy, and perceptions in medical education. Despite the pervasive use of race and ethnicity as quantitative variables, it is unclear whether researchers use them in their proper context. In this Eye Opener, we present the following seven considerations with corresponding recommendations, for using race and ethnicity as variables in medical education research: 1) Ensure race and ethnicity variables are used to address questions directly related to these concepts. 2) Use race and ethnicity to represent social experiences, not biological facts, to explain the phenomenon under study. 3) Allow study participants to define their preferred racial and ethnic identity. 4) Collect complete and accurate race and ethnicity data that maximizes data richness and minimizes opportunities for researchers’ assumptions about participants’ identity. 5) Follow evidence-based practices to describe and collapse individual-level race and ethnicity data into broader categories. 6) Align statistical analyses with the study’s conceptualization and operationalization of race and ethnicity. 7) Provide thorough interpretation of results beyond simple reporting of statistical significance. By following these recommendations, medical education researchers can avoid major pitfalls associated with the use of race and ethnicity and make informed decisions around some of the most challenging race and ethnicity topics in medical education.
Highlights
Race and ethnicity are two of the most commonly used variables in research
Medical education researchers can avoid major pitfalls associated with the use of race and ethnicity and make informed decisions around some
A Google Scholar search of “medical education” and “race” or “ethnicity” yields more than 64,000 results; it is important to consider how they are used in medical education research to create new knowledge
Summary
A Google Scholar search of “medical education” and “race” or “ethnicity” yields more than 64,000 results; it is important to consider how they are used in medical education research to create new knowledge The use of these variables in medical education research has wide-ranging implications in that any associated findings can shape perceptions of the groups under study, influence the allocation of resources, and impact implementation of new policy [1, 2]. It is used to refer to cultural patterns or to indicate socioeconomic conditions [8] When used in this way, race becomes a connotation of different life experiences, social practices, and behaviors among a group of people who share a distinct sociocultural context [2]. The following questions are helpful for considering appropriate use of race or ethnicity as a variable: How are race and ethnicity relevant to the study? How will the inclusion of race and ethnicity as a variable improve our understanding of the phenomenon under study?
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