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Selected Works of Dr Neville Chiavaroli
Article
Diversity Audit of Medical School Examination Questions
Teaching and Learning in Medicine (2023)
  • Brahmaputra Marjadi, University of Western Sydney
  • Neville Chiavaroli, Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)
  • Olanrewaju Sorinola, University of Warwick
  • Veronica Milos Nymberg, Lund University
  • Caroline Joyce, University of Western Sydney
  • Carl Parsons, University of Western Sydney
  • Anna Ryan, University of Melbourne
Link
Abstract
Phenomenon: This article reports the under-researched presentation of demographic, social, and economic diversity in medical school examination questions. Approach: The present study audited 3,566 pre-clinical and clinical multiple-choice and short answer examination questions in the same year (2018) from three medical schools in two continents to review the diversity of patients portrayed. The audit was based on an extension of Critical Race Theory beyond race and ethnicity to include pertinent social determinants of health. Findings: Patients were presented in 1,537 (43.1%) of the audited examination questions. Apart from age (89.4%) and binary genders (93.9%), other diversity characteristics were rarely portrayed (ethnicity 7.2%, relationship status 1.9%, sexual identity 1.1%, socio-economic status 0.5%, geographic residence 0.1%, disability 0.1%), or not at all (non-binary genders; residency status; religion/spirituality). Insights: While presenting excessive and unnecessary patient characteristics in examination questions should be avoided, the absence of many diversity aspects may reduce examination authenticity and defeat the teaching of diversity in medicine. Medical schools should consider a routine audit and reasonable improvement of the diversity features of patients in examination questions to support teaching and learning activities addressing patients’ diversity.
Keywords
  • Diversity (Students),
  • Medical education,
  • Audit,
  • Critial race theory,
  • Inclusive education,
  • Higher education,
  • Examinations
Disciplines
Publication Date
July, 2023
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/10401334.2023.2240776
Citation Information
Brahmaputra Marjadi, Neville Chiavaroli, Olanrewaju Sorinola, Veronica Milos Nymberg, et al.. "Diversity Audit of Medical School Examination Questions" Teaching and Learning in Medicine Vol. 36 Iss. 5 (2023) p. 557 - 565 ISSN: 1532-8015
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/neville-chiavaroli/52/