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Abstract

Purpose. The value of a diverse healthcare workforce and the need for all healthcare providers to be educated to provide culturally competent care is widely acknowledged. In part, educating diverse and culturally competent providers is a responsibility of higher education institutions. This study investigated health professions education (HPE) institution-level and program-level websites for evidence of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) content to address the recruitment and the preparedness of future health profession educators using the diversity and inclusion engaged marketing (DIEM) framework. The study was guided by two research questions: What is the relationship between institution-level and HPE program-level website diversity content?, and What evidence of diversity embeddedness exists on HPE program-level websites?

Method. Systematic website review methods were used in this non-experimental study design to examine the relationship of graduate HPE program-level websites and institution-level websites for DEI embeddedness. Two data extractors independently and collaboratively extracted and recorded data from 43 institution-level and program-level websites, coding 15 DEI elements.

Results. A small but significant amount of variance in program-level website diversity content scores was explained by institution-level website diversity content scores (R2 = .093, p = .046). In addition, program-level websites did not present evidence of embedding diversity within the curriculum with only eight programs (19%) offering HPE students a course with keyword terms (“diversity,” “equity,” “DEI,” “health disparity,” “social justice,” or “cultural competence”) incorporated in the title or course description. Only one of the 43 programs (2%) offered a formal track, concentration, or certificate dedicated to diversity-related topics within the HPE context.

Discussion. Findings demonstrate institution-level evidence of diversity commitment through textual statements, links to academic and financial resources, and use of gender and race diverse images. However, program-level websites infrequently displayed gender and race diverse images of faculty, students, and student life, nor offered textual evidence such as program-level diversity statements, or diversity curriculum embeddedness. The findings suggest DIEM strategies have not trickled down from the institution to the program-level. The program-level diversity website content gaps may be attributable to a lack of awareness or lack of technical capabilities, and although some issues may be easily resolved, others, such as diversifying faculty bodies or revising the curriculum, may require more sustainable change approaches beyond a surface-level website update.

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