Equitable Imagery in the Pre-Clinical Medical School Curriculum

Abstract

The unequal representation of women and people of color compared to men and whites in medical school textbooks has been well documented, as have inequities in health care and biases - both overt and implicit - in health care providers and access. This study investigates whether this bias is also found in slides used in didactic material for pre-clinical students at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. Three independent coders analyzed 747 "decks" of slides for 33 preclinical courses and found that images of whites and males predominated except in the reproduction course. This study provides data to support the hypothesis that the proportion of images is not representative of the U.S. population, explores the source and impact of this bias, and proposes possible avenues for further research and resolution of this disparity in an era when the population is becoming increasingly racially and ethnically diverse.