Embedding EDI into Anatomical Sciences Education: Practical Examples for Teaching and Assessment

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) is increasingly ingrained in society; embedding this into Anatomy curricula and assessments is important to ensure practices represent and reflect our diverse student population and empowers learners and the public to identify with human anatomy resources. We will discuss examples of how we incorporated EDI into science, medical and dental anatomy teaching at the University of Glasgow, demonstrating how tangible step-wise changes can make a big impact with the aim of inspiring other educators to adopt these practices. We increased use of inclusive language and images in teaching materials, adapted existing workshops and labs to include diverse case studies and examples, and developed novel teaching sessions and courses focused entirely on EDI. Many of these sessions were developed through student-led initiatives, discussing how anatomy varies in diverse individuals and enhancing understanding of how anatomical differences affect health and disease, helping learners see applications of their learning. Furthermore, honours and Masters EDI projects have been introduced, at the request of students, empowering learners to delve deeper into EDI in anatomy. Our assessments were also adapted, inviting students to engage and reflect on these topics by creating posters, narratives, presentations and exam questions. These changes are helping to present a global and inclusive perspective on anatomy and healthcare practices. This talk would allow us to share our approaches with other anatomy educators to foster collaboration enhancing anatomy education of our future learners. Student perspectives of these teaching approaches will also be presented, with local ethical approval.