The Science of Disparities Concentration

Kristin Chapleau, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Kari Dugger, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Samantha Giordano-Mooga, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Nadia Richardson, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Science of Disparities Concentration in BMD

The Biomedical Sciences Program (BMD) is a undergraduate major at the University of Alabama at Birmingham with approximately 700 undergraduate students. As the major has expanded, it is clear we need to create “pathways”/concentrations that allow undergraduate students to expand their expertise into sub-specialities within the biomedical sciences field. The goal of this work is to create a Science of Disparities concentration within BMD, that will be designated on student transcripts and provide students the opportunity to create unique expertise that accommodates their personalized career goals.

Description

The Biomedical Sciences Undergraduate major is a two-pronged curriculum that emphasizes both science content knowledge and professional skills development. There is significant emphasis placed on written/oral communications, effective teamwork, and critical thinking to ensure our students have the transferable skill expertise needed to succeed, wherever their path leads after graduation. All current and future graduates of the Biomedical Sciences Program have a fundamental understanding of human biology and have developed competency in personal skills. In the Science of Disparities Concentration, students will expand their knowledge base to build an understanding of social and genetic determinants of health that impact our comprehension and communication of the human health sciences. Further, students will to explore the complications associated with our interpretation and implementation of health sciences. Finally, students will transition into socially responsible scientists by engaging in community projects that facilitate their clear understanding of the impact of their scientific knowledge through a practicum experience using the service-learning pedagogies.

Goals of the Program

Current advances in our understanding of human diversity has created a series of multi-dimensional complications that our foundational biomedical science investigations do not address directly. The Science of Disparities concentration will address the societal and genetic differences that impact human health and generate a breadth of knowledge that with promote socially responsible scientists. The foundational knowledge needed to explore these complications will be provided as an introduction to the core concepts around health disparities that foster an in-depth investigation of their impacts on the human body’s function. In pursuit of developing strong humanistic experiences, students will have thoughtful deliberations surrounding social and genetic determinants of health in discussion-based and literature-driven explorations into relevant topics. By ending the concentration curriculum with a service-learning project, we will engage student’s meta knowledge and encourage students to foster solutions. Ultimately, this concentration will empower students to actively implement change within their communities.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes for Foundational Knowledge:

  • Students will have a wide breadth of knowledge regarding human uniqueness and its impact on biomedical health sciences

Outcomes for Humanistic Knowledge:

  • Students will have an awareness of cultural competency as defined by recognizing cultural biases and their impacts on human science.

Outcomes for Meta Knowledge:

  • Students will gain an understanding of the importance of using their scientific knowledge in creating positive change within their community.

Assessing Concentration of BMD Program Outcomes

BMD Undergraduate Programmatic Outcomes are assessed for Biomedical Sciences Knowledge Breadth, Effective Teamwork, Written/Oral Communication, and Critical Thinking Skills. Because the Science of Health Disparities concentration will be within the BMD Undergraduate Program, it is important to note that these outcomes are already assessed yearly at a programmatic/major level.

Students in this concentration will be assessed on the BMD programmatic learning outcomes plus these additional outcomes listed below.

  1. The NSF Vision and Change guidelines will be used to assess for Physiology and Pathophysiology content knowledge. Specifically, we will assess students using the PHYS-Bio-MAPS Physiology survey. (Phys-MAPS ; Phys-MAPS: a programmatic physiology assessment for introductory and advanced undergraduates, Semsar et. al., 2019) Students’ knowledge of Vision and Change Core concepts will increase by greater than 5% in knowledge in all 5 Core Concepts (Evolution, Transformation of Energy and Matter, Structure Function, Information Flow and Systems) when comparing the same students in a 200 level course as compared to their knowledge at a 400 level course.
  2. A sample size of students in a 100 (or 200) and 400 level course associated with the Science of Health Disparities concentration will be assessed for Cultural Competency. We will utilize the “Intercultural Knowledge and Competence” VALUE rubric from the AAC&U to assess submitted artifacts. (Intercultural Value Rubric ) We will look for increases in Benchmark achievement as they progress throughout the concentration curriculum to determine whether the concentration coursework is increasing student awareness of cultural and societal biases. (Transformative training: Designing programs for culture learning., Bennett, 2008.)
  3. Identify 10 core questions in key science of disparities courses that are assessed annually by courses instructors. Data will be submitted to the BMD undergraduate program director for concentration curriculum effectiveness. Students should score above 70% on these selected concepts for all concentration designated coursework.
  4. A sample size of students in a 100 (or 200) and 400 level course associated with the Science of Health Disparities concentration will be assessed for Civic Engagement. We will assess submitted artifacts for assessment using the Civic Engagement VALUE rubric from the AAC&U. ( Civic Engagement VALUE Rubric) We will look for differences in Benchmark achievement as they progress throughout the concentration curriculum to determine whether the concentration coursework is influencing students’ interest in making a difference in the civic life of our communities.
  5. Civic engagement is defined as actions where individuals participate in activities of personal and public concern that are both individually life enriching and socially beneficial to the community. To further assess student development in Civic Engagement, student reflection papers drafted at the end of their experiences in their community practicum (BMD495: Practicum in Biomedical Sciences) will be assessed. Because the practicum in biomedical sciences (BMD 495) is open to all BMD majors, we expect to use the general BMD curriculum students as a control group to assess the Science of Disparities concentration BMD students learning outcome achievement. Ideally, we will compare the student analysis of their civic engagement’s impact on their community documented in their BMD 495 reflection papers from students who have been through the Science of Disparities concentration to those students who have only completed the general BMD curriculum. We will compare their ability to access humanistic and meta knowledge, including but not limited to: discussing healthcare disparities in their experience, identifying gaps in healthcare with different populations and their role in making positive change.

Concentration Course Map

Our Science of Disparities concentration will contain six BMD major courses that will serve as the scientific & professional foundational knowledge for this concentration. (These will include four BMD science-intensive courses and two BMD writing/professional development courses.) Students will then complete four concentration specific courses that focus on the foundational knowledge needed to understand health disparities from both a scientific and humanistic perspective, the humanistic skill sets to facilitate open deliberations in identifying health disparities and the culminating meta experience that provides students the opportunity to engage their community.

The Science of Disparities Concentration: Program Design

Kristin Chapleau, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Kari Dugger, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Samantha Giordano-Mooga, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Nadia Richardson, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Overview

The Biomedical Sciences Program (BMD) is a undergraduate major at the University of Alabama at Birmingham with approximately 700 undergraduate students. As the major has expanded, it is clear we need to create “pathways”/concentrations that allow undergraduate students to expand their expertise into sub-specialties within the biomedical sciences field. The goal of this work is to create a Science of Disparities concentration or pathway within BMD, that will be designated on student transcripts and provide students the opportunity to create unique expertise that accommodates their personalized career goals.

The Biomedical Sciences Undergraduate major is a two-pronged curriculum that emphasizes both science content knowledge and professional skills development. There is significant emphasis placed on written/oral communications, effective teamwork, and critical thinking to ensure our students have the transferable skill expertise needed to succeed, wherever their path leads after graduation. All current and future graduates of the Biomedical Sciences Program have a fundamental understanding of human biology and have developed competency in personal skills. In the Science of Disparities Concentration, students will expand their knowledge base to build an understanding of social and genetic determinants of health that impact our comprehension and communication of the human health sciences. Further, students will to explore the complications associated with our interpretation and implementation of health sciences. Finally, students will transition into socially responsible scientists by engaging in community projects that facilitate their clear understanding of the impact of their scientific knowledge through a practicum experience using the service-learning pedagogies.

Goals of the Program

Current advances in our understanding of human diversity has created a series of multi-dimensional complications that our foundational biomedical science investigations do not address directly. The Science of Disparities concentration will address the societal and genetic differences that impact human health and generate a breadth of knowledge that with promote socially responsible scientists. The foundational knowledge needed to explore these complications will be provided as an introduction to the core concepts around health disparities that foster an in-depth investigation of their impacts on the human body’s function. In pursuit of developing strong humanistic experiences, students will have thoughtful deliberations surrounding social and genetic determinants of health in discussion-based and literature-driven explorations into relevant topics. By ending the concentration curriculum with a service-learning project, we will engage student’s meta knowledge and encourage students to foster solutions. Ultimately, this concentration will empower students to actively implement change within their communities.

Concentration in Science of Disparities in BMD

BMD Foundational Courses

All students will be required to take a set of 6 foundational courses (4 BMD science intensive courses and 2 BMD writing/professional development courses):

BMD Science Courses:

  • BMD 310. Clinical Anatomy and Histology: This course is an exploration of the functional anatomy of the human body through gross and microscopic studies of cells, tissues, and organ systems; survey of body systems; correlations between the structures and functions of the body’s various systems; association of major embryonic developmental events with functional gross anatomy.
  • BMD 315. Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology for Health Professions I: This course is delivered using Team-based learning pedagogies. The course is part one of covering the basic concepts of physiology and pharmacology related to human organ systems and drug categories; human physiological principles and their application to pharmacology; membrane physiology, muscle physiology, physiology of the autonomic nervous system and the cardiovascular system; application of physiologic principles to drug pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics models.
  • BMD 317. Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology for Health Professions II:This course is delivered using Team-based learning pedagogies. The course is part two of covering the basic concepts of physiology and pharmacology related to human organ systems and drug categories; human physiological principles and their application to pharmacology; renal, respiratory, gastrointestinal and endocrine systems; application of physiological principles to drug pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics models.
  • BMD 320. Survey of Cell Biology for Health Professions:This course utilizes primary readings and data analysis to investigate the molecular and cellular biosciences from a highly-integrated systems perspective; principles of eukaryotic cell structure and function, macromolecules, gene expression, signaling, division, differentiation, energy transformation and metabolism in cells; endocytosis, intramembrane transport, protein targeting, organelle biosynthesis, protein sorting, exocytosis, cell shape, motility, and cell-to-cell interaction; signal transduction processes and cellular functions required for cell growth and programmed cell death.

Writing/Professional Development Courses:

  • BMD 380. Research Methods and Scientific Literacy for the Biomedical Sciences: This course is an introduction to basic research methodology, including but not limited to citations, literature searches, assessment of data quality and a review of statistical methods in health professions research. For the Science of Disparities concentration, an emphasis will be placed on identifying topics relevant to health disparities.
  • BMD 475. Capstone Experience in the Biomedical Sciences:This course is a faculty-mentored capstone project in which students identify and explore a socially relevant biomedical argument that requires the presentation of evidence (written and oral) for all perspectives. For the Science of Disparities concentration, the student capstone project will require the integration of their BMD495 Practicum experience. The goal of the capstone project should culminate in a formal scholarly work. Senior Standing required.

**For this concentration, the projects in these courses will be centered around Health Disparities.

BMD Science of Disparities Concentration Course

All BMD Science of Disparities concentration students will be required to take a set of four courses:

  • BMD300 level: Health Disparities in Biomedical Sciences: This course will introduce students to the multi-layered issues of health disparities and equity in healthcare and biomedical science. Students will be led through a discussion on the health burdens that arise when systemic and institutional challenges socially marginalize and economically disenfranchise individuals based on, but not limited to, race, class, gender, ethnicity, ability, language, culture and sexual orientation. Through the lens of biomedical sciences, students will consider approaches to eliminating barriers that prevent access to care medically underserved communities. (NEW course; there will be a pre-req of BMD201: Bioethics in BMD)
  • BMD 400 level course. Diversity in Pathophysiology:This course will be a problem-oriented study of general disease processes and the major subdivisions of pathology in diverse populations. The course will focus on three to five pathophysiologies and students will understand the physiological and social implications regarding these these disorders. This course will be taught through Team Based Learning. (Modification of our current Pathophysiology course BMD420)
  • BMD 490. Directed Readings in BMD focus on Healthcare Disparities: (journal club style) This course will be a deep dive in existing texts (both popular and scientific) that highlights the impact of human uniqueness on both science interpretation and/or healthcare delivery. Each semester will utilize both primary literature and popular text to investigate a scientific issue guided by the Instructor’s interest and expertise within scope of the Science of Health Disparities concentration. Topics for the course will include, but are not limited to: eugenics – is it really history or just evolved with modern medical knowledge?, social determinants of health regarding a specific disease/system/sub-population, Moralism & Economics in healthcare treatments, Ownership of Genetic Information in the Era of “23 and Me”. (editing existing Course)
  • BMD 495. Practicum in Biomedical Sciences: This course combines the practical workplace experience gained through an internship or service learning activity with an instructor guided reflective assessment of the total experience. Students will engage with the community and identify a community partner that has a mission to impact health disparities. The instructor and student will engage in semester-long discussions to reflect and understand the impact their project has on health disparities in their community. (Pre-approval by instructor is necessary to register for this practicum.)

Additional Courses

  • BMD115. Understanding the Link Between Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities:This course will explore and define social determinants of health, health disparities and expose students to disparities in healthcare in our own state, both in rural and urban environments. Traditional FYE content will be incorporated throughout the semester assisting students with adjustment to college while reflecting on the implications of healthcare disparities.
  • BMD 201. Contemporary Issues in Biomedical Sciences.This course will be a survey of current policy topics and industry trends in biomedical sciences, health, and medicine. This course focuses on bioethics in biomedical sciences and provides students with an understanding of the philosophical foundational theories of ethics and its relationship to the research and applicability of biomedical sciences in various health-related fields. Students will apply ethical theories and principles in modern healthcare cases and scenarios through class discussion and simulation.

For more detailed course learning outcomes and assessments please click here: DEI Classes for Course Sequence.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 32kB Oct9 20)Detailed Course Descriptions

Other Key Features of the Program

A distinguishing element of this program is the 2 credit Science of Diversity Capstone Course (BMD475) which is directly linked to the student practicum project (BMD495). Students will create a research question through their practicum and collect data which will be used to support that the practicum project benefited the community.

National Science Foundation logo

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant #1935479: Workshop on the Substance of STEM Education. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.