Five Essential Steps for Faculty to Mitigate Racial Bias and Microaggressions in the Classroom

Abstract

Educators must recognize the pharmacy curriculum itself is an instrument that can propagate or discourage systemic racism. The role of pharmacy education in disseminating racial bias through didactics deserves further consideration. While microaggressions have begun to be acknowledged in the pharmacy learning environment, specific guidance on mitigating racial microaggressions in the classroom has not been provided. This paper aims to suggest actionable strategies pharmacy educators may use to mitigate or prevent these negative classroom experiences. As such, it combines five experiences of racial biases and microaggressions in the classroom with suggested action items in a practical guide for pharmacy faculty members. It is our hope that this commentary will challenge faculty to self-assess their teaching, with the aim of preventing racial biases from propagating and creating better learning environments for future pharmacists.