Curriculum

This curriculum supports Workforce Development, one of OIHE’s four core initiatives. Continuing Education (CE) or Professional Development (PD) credits may be available for some courses.

View instructions on accessing this curriculum.

Group Curriculum

1. General Overview - Blind Spots and Unconscious Bias: “No, Not Me!”

  • Format: In-person training/ virtual
  • Time: 50-60 minutes
  • Audience: all VUMC (faculty, house staff, residents, clinicians, nurses, non-clinical staff)
  • Professional Development: Eligible (CE/PD)

Learning objectives

  • Provide and discuss scientific support for UCB and the human brain
  • Recognize that to be human is to have bias
  • Understand that an individual's background informs the way they see the world
  • Provide practical strategies to lessen the impact of bias in everyday life

2. Everyday Bias in Healthcare

  • Format: In-person training / virtual
  • Time: 2 hours
  • Audience: all VUMC (faculty, house staff, residents, clinicians, nurses, non-clinical staff)
  • Professional Development: Eligible (CE/PD)
  • Cook Ross Program

Learning objectives

  • Discuss research and science of unconscious bias and the human brain
  • Recognize that no one is immune to unconscious bias
  • Understand that one’s background impacts views and perspective. 
  • Suggest strategies to reduce or mitigate unconscious bias in your everyday functioning

3. The Big Decision: Bias in Hiring Practices

  • Format: In-person training
  • Time: 1 hour
  • Audience: VUMC people leaders and managers
  • Professional Development: CE/PD Credit N/A
  • Cook Ross Program

Learning objectives

  • Recognize personal unconscious biases
  • Practice strategies and tools to create systemic change

4. Respect at Work: Eliminating Sexual Harassment

  • Format: In-person and virtual training
  • Time: 50-60 minutes
  • Audience: Open to all VUMC
  • Professional Development: Credits N/A

Learning objective

Ongoing series to train groups and individuals on subjects related to respect and inclusion in the workplace

5. Specialized Group Training

Requested based on identified needs

  • Format: Didactics, seminars, lectures, small group workshops, or special related projects
  • Time: Varies
  • Audience: Varies; Open to all VUMC
  • Professional Development: CE/PD Credit TBD

Learning objective

Ongoing opportunities to assist groups or individuals with unconscious bias or cultural competency concepts

6. Consultative Services

  • Format: Grand Rounds, MM&I sessions, Leadership meetings, etc.
  • Time: Varies
  • Audience: Open to all VUMC
  • Professional Development: CE/PD Credit TBD

Learning objectives

Varies depending on content and audience

7. ”Let’s Talk!”

  • Format: Round table discussion, lunch and learn meetings, coffee klatch sessions, etc.
  • Time: 30-45 minutes
  • Audience: Varies; Open to all VUMC
  • Professional Development: CE/PD Credit TBD

Topics

  • Racism in healthcare
  • Safety in the workplace
  • Microaggressions
  • Navigating difficult conversations

Learning objectives

Varies based on content and audience

8. Refresher “Booster Shot” Course

  • Format: In-Person training
  • Time: 20 minutes
  • Audience: Closed to VUMC search committees 
  • Professional Development: CE/PD Credit N/A

Learning objectives

Refresher course on topics regarding bias in hiring practices

9. Strategic Planning Sessions

  • Format: In-person/ virtual
  • Time: Based on needs
  • Audience: Department specific
  • Professional Development: CE/PD Credit TBD

Learning objectives

Varies depending on content and audience

10. Respect @ Work: Partners in Respect (PiR)

  • Format: Virtual training
  • Time: 60 minutes
  • Audience: Open to all VUMC
  • Professional Development: CE/PD Credit N/A

Learning objectives

As part of a larger conversation about a respectful workplace culture at VUMC, this session provides support for our Credo behaviors and a respectful workplace. This Bystander Intervention Workshop focuses on teaching leaders and staff the steps they can take to maintain a workplace culture at VUMC that is welcoming, inclusive, respectful and productive.

11. Individual Online Courses through Percipio

  • Format: online access available 24/7
  • VUMC Human Resources website for individual administration
  • Time: Roughly 60 minutes
  • Audience: Open to all VUMC
  • Professional Development: CE/PD Credit NA

Learning objectives

Varies by module

A. Understanding Unconscious Bias (UCB)

Total time: 18 minutes

  • Understanding UCB 
  • What is UCB 
  • Biases that Result of Making Assumptions 
  • Seeking Confirmation of our Biases 
  • Biases that Arise from Fixation 
  • Addressing Bias to Benefit the Workplace 
  • Knowledge Check Test: Exploring UCB

Learning objectives

  • Recognize key characteristics of unconscious bias
  • Match assumption-based unconscious biases to their description
  • Categorize examples of confirmation-based unconscious biases
  • Distinguish between unconscious biases related to fixation
  • Recognize how addressing unconscious bias can benefit the workplace

B. Overcoming Unconscious Bias in the Workplace

Total time: 22 minutes

  • Overcoming UCB in the Workplace 
  • How Differences Relate to UCB 
  • Subtle Signs of UCB 
  • Using Micro-affirmations to Combat UCB 
  • Leading an Organization to Overcome UCB 
  • Overcoming UCB in the Hiring Process 
  • Systems to Combat Organizational 
  • Knowledge Check Test: Combating Organizational Bias

Learning objectives

  • Identify the types of differences that can contribute to unconscious bias in an organization
  • Recognize subtle signs of unconscious bias in an organization
  • Recognize examples of micro-affirmations in the workplace
  • Recognize how to lead an organization to overcome unconscious bias
  • Identify strategies for overcoming unconscious bias in the hiring process
  • Recognize systems that can be put in place to combat organizational bias

C. Expert Insights on Unconscious Bias

Total time: 21 minutes

  • Unconscious Bias 
  • Dealing with UCB 
  • Check your Biases 
  • Personality and Bias 
  • Gender Bias
  • Put Bias in Neutral 
  • Acknowledge UCB to Make Better Decisions 
  • Microaggressions 

Learning objectives

  • Acquire insights on the pros and cons of UCB.
  • Understand importance of recognizing and accepting bias.
  • Learn how making decisions in a rushed manner can lead to personal biases.
  • Gain insights on how to overcome bias toward personality type.
  • Acquire insights regarding societal gender biases
  • Obtain Insights on how to shift personal biases into the neutral position.
  • Learn how being aware of unconscious bias improves your ability to make good decisions.
  • Understanding different types and implications of microaggressions