Education & Training
Adaptive Capacity Building
WHAT WE DO
The purpose of our office in providing trainings--or Adaptive Capacity Building sessions--is for our University of Minnesota Medical School community to develop a crucial baseline knowledge of the fundamentals of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and its intersection with our work with various stakeholders in higher education and in the healthcare field.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
Each session is designed to support participants in grasping why these DEI elements are core to our work in the pursuit of excellence in our medical discovery and patient care. Additionally, we strive to increase diversity in the medical field to reflect the communities we serve, especially those who are underserved and historically marginalized.
Each session is live and interactive. Included may be large group grounding and discussions, interactive breakout rooms, opportunities to engage in self-reflection and self-assessment, and actionable takeaways. Attendees may receive 15-20 minute pre-work content in order to come fully engaged in each session. Due to the importance of confidentiality, our workshops are not recorded.
HOW YOU CAN ENGAGE
Below you will see the list of offerings. We encourage teams, divisions and departments to engage in any or all of these offerings, which can be refined and personalized for your group. Additionally, we are happy to work with you on developing content that best meets you needs--please let us know how we can best serve you!
HOW TO ENGAGE
Interested in setting up Adaptive Capacity Building (training)? We can accommodate requests. Please complete this contact form. A minimum of 6 registrants is required.
TRAININGS
Implicit Bias
Description: Implicit Biases are favorable and unfavorable attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner. These biases can have huge impacts on the way we navigate research and clinical spaces as professionals, and how we interact with patients when delivering care. In order to remain excellent and innovative, we must embrace diversity of thought, actions, and lived experiences. This training allows attendees to gain a baseline understanding of implicit bias, how it emerges, and strategies to mitigate its impact while working to create an inclusive environment.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will be able to define implicit bias and process how it shows up every day.
- Participants will be able to engage in reflective practices.
- Participants will be able to determine action steps to combat implicit biases.
Upcoming Dates:
- Tuesday, September 10, 2024, from 11:00 AM-12:30 PM
- Thursday, October 10, 2024, from 12:30-2:00 PM
- Tuesday, November 12, 2024, from 11:00 AM-12:30 PM
- Tuesday, December 12, 2024, from 12:30-2:00 PM
If you are interested in hosting an Implicit Bias training for your team / division / department, please reach out to us and we can develop a tailored session for you!
Topics that may be Included in Training: Psychological Safety, Imposter Syndrome, Stereotype Threat, Oppression, Power
Tailored Sessions: Search & Selection Committees, Grant and Application Review
OTHER OFFERINGS
Other topics of interest may include the following. We are happy to develop sessions based on your needs. Click on each dropdown menu below to learn more about some of our offerings. If you’re unfamiliar with our topics and terms, check out the ODEI ‘Defining Our Terms’ page for definitions!
Bystander Interventions
Description: Bystander interventions are about recognizing a potentially harmful situation or interaction and choosing to respond in a way that could positively influence an outcome. In the medical field, all voices are not always heard, yet with our teams we want to ensure that everyone feels value for who they are and their expertise. Whether it’s intervening in tense interactions within research teams, or advocating on behalf of a patient, understanding bystander intervention can be crucial for collaboration and serving our communities. This training is a skill-building process that helps attendees recognize harm and analyze the consequences of our actions–or inactions as bystanders.
Topics that may be Included in Training: Psychological Safety, Implicit Bias, Microaggressions
Microaggressions & Macroaggressions
Description: A microaggression is an indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group. A macroaggression is a large-scale or overt aggression toward those of a marginalized group. The consequences of these everyday occurrences impede the work we do with others and the progress we make as a collective to create belonging for all our community members. Understanding micro- and macro-aggressions can be useful in navigating interpersonal interaction and understanding our organizations’ relationships with bias. This training allows attendees to be mindful of these types of discriminatory behaviors and how to address them with regard to team dynamics.
Topics that may be Included in Training: Sphere of Influence Model, Bystander Intervention, Microaffirmations
Micro Affirmations & Allyship: Addressing Workplace Toxicity and Power Dynamics
Description: Healthcare and research environments can be hectic and intense, and while conflicts and tensions are unavoidable, we can still have a huge impact on how others navigate and experience those conflicts. One way in which we might do this is through the notion of allyship: the support of and advocacy for those in marginalized groups. Microaffirmations are small acts of appreciation, praise, and recognition that others provide as feedback and encouragement (Ed Equity Resources). In order to boost morale and ensure value in others and what they contribute to our community and learning environment, we need to address workplace toxicity and power dynamics.
Topics that may be included in training: Psychological Safety, Workplace Wellbeing, Workplace Toxicity, Power Dynamics, Allyship
Cultural Humility
Description: Cultural humility is a practice of self-reflection on how one’s own background—and the background of others—impacts teaching, learning, research, creative activity, engagement, leadership, etc. Every day, our patients and research participants bring unique cultural perspectives with them that may clash with healthcare systems and our own cultural identities and knowledge. In this session, we ask you to discover the significance of cultural humility on yourself and those around you, leading to openness, lifelong learning, accountability, empathy, and more.
Topics that may be included in training: Psychological Safety, Empathy
Psychological Safety & Workplace Wellbeing
Description: We all deserve to be in a welcoming, comfortable workplace. Unfortunately, that can sometimes be a challenge, considering we all have different expectations of what that looks like. We want to create an environment where people feel safe enough to ask questions, take risks, speak up, challenge others (respectfully, of course), and be themselves. When we feel this sense of safety, we may be more empowered to raise concerns about bias in hiring or to alert our collaborators of issues when developing studies. This session is great for teams to come together and discuss unique challenges and goals, both individually and collectively. Expect to engage in community building and action planning that promotes wellbeing for all.
Topics that may be included in training:
Dominant Culture
Description: One thing we all have in common is that we live in a culture that has dominant attributes that often hold back and push down. The guidelines we live by support many, but not all. In this session, we will dive into what dominant culture attributes are and determine how we can conceptualize ways to explore other means of reaching collective and individual success in administrative, clinical, and academic settings
Topics that may be included in training: Psychological Safety, Cultural Humility, Power, Oppression
Meet the Team
Matt Amundson, MEd (he/him) and Anthony Wallace are the Learning and Development Managers (L&D) for the Medical School’s ODEI. Please contact us via email if you or your team has interest in learning and development opportunities!
The Medical School Dean’s Lecture Series is a series of presentations offered to faculty, staff, and students in the Medical School community, as a response to critical issues that are emerging during the pandemic, as well as our efforts to address racial injustice and health disparities within our institution.