BIO 262 - Antiracist Physiology and Medicine

Race-based misconceptions, outright racism, and white supremacy across the biomedical and healthcare power structure, have, for centuries and to this day, resulted in medical and research malpractice, inequity in treatment and health outcomes, and blatant disregard and discard of the lives and bodies of minoritized individuals and groups. This course is focused on dispelling myths of biological race and studying some of their harmful consequences, including deliberate biomedical exploitation of racialized groups, systematized practice of racialized medicine, and misconceptions about racialized bodies widely held by medical students, researchers, and practitioners today. Attention will be given to biological and physiological truths as a counterforce to the unfounded beliefs that support oppressive power structures, racist clinical and research practices, inequities in healthcare and medical treatment, and disparities in health outcomes. Relevant physiology and pathophysiology will be addressed. This course is meant for students who are interested in growing into more critical, inclusive, effective, and just biomedical professionals; and who will, through the course, become more aware of our nation’s past and present relationship with racialized science and medicine and more concerned about the role they and their professions play in the creation of a just or unjust society. The course aims to equip and encourage students to be antiracist scientists and healthcare professionals by learning both biology and racial justice topics hand in hand.

Satisfies the requirement in Justice, Equality, and Community.
Satisfies an elective requirement in the Biology major.
Satisfies Public Health major and minor requirement.

 

Prerequisites & Notes
Successful completion of Bio 111/113 and 112/114 is required.