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Disrupting Essentialism in Medical Genetics Education

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Abstract

Many traditional practices in medical genetics education need review to counteract messages of essentialism, or the belief in an underlying natural structure differentiating social categories. While genomics research increasingly disproves a genetic foundation for race, research from educational scholars demonstrates that current medical genetics instruction may actually reinforce racial bias in learners. In this monograph, we outline seven recommendations for medical educators to actively counteract essentialism, racial, and otherwise, in the genetics classroom. In particular, we emphasize the importance of engaging learners in nuanced discussions around stereotyping and its negative consequences for both accurate diagnoses and promoting health equity.

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Notes

  1. genetic fatalism = a person’s disease is entirely determined by genetics, and cannot be abrogated through behavior or treatment

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the lives and work of the many Black, Indigenous, and People of Color who raised our collective awareness of racism and essentialism, and laid the groundwork for this monograph. We hope our contribution to the ongoing struggle for educational and health equity does honor to their labor and sacrifice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Education, Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA

    Gareth Gingell & Andrew D. Bergemann

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  1. Gareth Gingell
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All authors contributed equally to the intellectual and material work of this manuscript. The first draft was prepared by Andrew Bergemann, with subsequent critical review and revision by Gareth Gingell. Both authors contributed to additional revision. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Gareth Gingell.

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Gingell, G., Bergemann, A.D. Disrupting Essentialism in Medical Genetics Education. Med.Sci.Educ. 32, 255–262 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-021-01458-w

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