Implicit bias in healthcare the topic of Pediatric Grand Rounds on Aug. 21

A primer on implicit bias in healthcare will be presented by Franklin Trimm, M.D., during pediatric grand rounds at 8 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 21, via the digital platform Zoom.

A pediatric developmental and behavioral physician, Trimm serves as associate dean of diversity and inclusion and assistant vice president for medical affairs at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine.

Objectives of the presentation are:

• Understanding the science of unconscious bias
• Identifying how bias and the processes of the unconscious mind can impact critical decisions and results
• Applying strategies for practicing more conscious awareness

Also known as implicit social cognition, implicit bias (or unconscious bias) refers to the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner, according to the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity. These biases, which encompass both favorable and unfavorable assessments, are activated involuntarily and without someone’s awareness or intentional control. Residing deep in the subconscious, implicit biases are different from known biases that people may choose to conceal for the purposes of social and/or political correctness.

Research shows that implicit biases are not accessible through one’s own introspection. The implicit associations humans harbor in the subconscious cause them to have feelings and attitudes about other people based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, age and appearance. These associations, according to research, develop during the course of a lifetime beginning at a very early age through exposure to direct and indirect messages.

Participants are asked to pre-register using this link: https://southalabama.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUvdO-urTguEtzVhEtTdKn8vXy80tR_emTO

Pediatric grand rounds is held the third Friday of each month from 8 until 9 a.m. for the physicians, advanced practice providers, residents, nurses, social workers, medical students and other members of the healthcare team who are interested in increasing their knowledge, addressing competence, performance, and improving patient outcomes in healthcare.

For more information, contact Jessica Petro at 251-415-8688 or jpetro@health.southalabbama.edu.