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Primary Submission Category: Public Health Communication and Trust
Are we Teaching What We’re Oreaching? Antiracism in Public Health Education
Authors: Kaisa Holt,
Presenting Author: Frankie Greene*
Background:
Many students matriculate into Master of Public Health (MPH) programs expecting sustained engagement with antiracism and decolonizing approaches in public health education. However, students encounter uneven integration of these frameworks in coursework, raising questions of trust in institutional commitments to antiracism. This study examines how the 2020 antiracism initiative at the OHSU–PSU School of Public Health is reflected in required core curricula through 2026.
Methods:
Students from multiple disciplines conducted a systematic analysis of syllabi and required readings from required courses in the MPH curriculum. Using an iterative word bank of antiracism concepts, we assessed (1) the presence of antiracism related language in course learning objectives and assigned readings and (2) representation of scholars of color, scholars from the global south in assigned readings.
Results:
Preliminary findings reveal uneven integration of antiracism across courses. Some syllabi reference antiracism in learning objectives without corresponding readings that support these concepts. Conversely, some courses include readings aligned with antiracism that are not reflected in stated learning objectives. These inconsistencies suggest gaps between institutional commitments and curricular implementation.
Conclusions:
Findings highlight opportunities to strengthen alignment between institutional antiracism commitments and educational practice. Learning objectives often mirror CEPH competencies, revealing leverage points for antiracist reform. Greater transparency and curricular coherence may help rebuild trust between students and public health institutions while supporting more meaningful integration of antiracism into training. This interdisciplinary, student-led analysis demonstrates how student scholarship can contribute to equity-centered curricular evaluation and reform in schools of public health.