Exploring Resistance in the Context of Social Justice Education in Undergraduate Medical Education

Adel, Adibba

Exploring Resistance in the Context of Social Justice Education in Undergraduate Medical Education

dc.contributor.advisor	Brown, Allison
dc.contributor.author	Adel, Adibba
dc.contributor.committeemember	Ellaway, Rachel
dc.contributor.committeemember	Jalil, Rabiya
dc.date.accessioned	2024-06-19T18:57:37Z
dc.date.available	2024-06-19T18:57:37Z
dc.date.issued	2024-06-18
dc.description.abstract	Background: This study explores the nuanced phenomenon of student resistance to social justice education, aiming to understand how and why students may resist this in the context of a new undergraduate medical curriculum at the University of Calgary. This curriculum features a longitudinal integration of a health equity and structural competency curriculum. Previous resistance from students towards this aspect of the curriculum hinted at this being a possible phenomenon in the new curriculum, thus warranting empirical investigation. Methods: This qualitative case study utilized semi-structured interviews with first-year medical students and faculty members at the University of Calgary to gain insight into student resistance and the ways it manifests. Phenomenography was used as a supplemental analytic lens to examine variation in resistance as a phenomenon. Results: Between September and December 2023, 23 semi-structured interviews were conducted with medical students and faculty members. Student resistance manifested in various emotional, cognitive, and behavioural responses. Reasons for student resistance also varied from feelings of discomfort and guilt, fear of being called out, anxiety surrounding medical knowledge and clinical competence, and personal biases and prejudice. Based on these findings, an outcome space delineates a spectrum of student resistance. Conclusion: Resistance to social justice education from medical students is a complex phenomenon that requires careful consideration. Findings from this case study reveal the diverse ways students may resist social justice education, ranging from emotional discomfort to skepticism about the relevance of social justice education to clinical practice. The findings also highlight the importance of taking proactive measures in addressing this resistance. Medical schools can work towards this by meaningfully integrating social justice education into curricula, utilizing pedagogical approaches that could mitigate potential resistance, prioritizing faculty development, and diversifying assessment strategies.
dc.identifier.citation	Adel, A. (2024). Exploring resistance in the context of social justice education in undergraduate medical education (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/1880/118991
dc.identifier.uri	https://doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/46587
dc.language.iso	en
dc.publisher.faculty	Cumming School of Medicine
dc.publisher.institution	University of Calgary
dc.rights	University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subject	Medical Education
dc.subject	Curriculum
dc.subject	Resistance
dc.subject	Case Study
dc.subject.classification	Education
dc.title	Exploring Resistance in the Context of Social Justice Education in Undergraduate Medical Education
dc.type	master thesis
thesis.degree.discipline	Medicine – Community Health Sciences
thesis.degree.grantor	University of Calgary
thesis.degree.name	Master of Science (MSc)
ucalgary.thesis.accesssetbystudent	I do not require a thesis withhold – my thesis will have open access and can be viewed and downloaded publicly as soon as possible.