Document Type (Journals)
Original Research
Abstract
There is a pressing need to address racism within healthcare education; however, occupational therapy educators lack a compilation of discipline-specific knowledge of anti-racist actions. The objective of this study was to examine anti-racist instructional practices for educators to employ in occupational therapy education. We conducted a scoping review and systematically searched six electronic databases to identify and synthesize anti-racist educational practices within the occupational therapy literature. The 20 included articles identified that educators should: use collaborative, anti-racist teaching strategies throughout the curriculum; engage in reflexivity including how intersecting identities impact occupational engagement; decolonize curricula through including Indigenous content and non-Western practice frameworks; increase representation of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color students and faculty; and strengthen educators’ capacity to engage in anti-racist actions. To address systemic injustices to educational inclusion and prepare students to address health care inequities, occupational educators must engage in anti-racist actions across curriculum, programs, and universities.
Biography
Julia Sterman, OTR/L, PhD is a Lecturer in Occupational Therapy at Edinburgh Napier University. Dr. Sterman seeks to increase inclusion and well-being of people with disabilities by changing environments, including addressing ableism and racism within occupational therapy practice and education.
Janet Njelesani, OTR/L, PhD, FAOTA is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at New York University. Dr. Njelesani employs critical social science theories to investigate how social, cultural, and institutional practices intersect in influencing inclusion, protection, and education for children with disabilities and the role of occupational therapists in addressing bullying.
Shanteria Carr, OTR/L, OTD is a school-based occupational therapist for the District of Columbia Public Schools, helping increase access to occupational therapy services to underrepresented children. Her research interest focuses on promoting optimal health outcomes for children at a high risk of developmental delays and eradicating health disparities.
Declaration of Interest
The authors report no declarations of interest.
Recommended Citation
Sterman, J., Njelesani, J., & Carr, S. (2022). Anti-racism and Occupational Therapy Education: Beyond Diversity and Inclusion. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 6 (1). https://doi.org/10.26681/jote.2022.060103
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