Ethical guidelines for antiracism work in medicine: lessons from the antiracist healing collaborative

Abstract

An explosion of antiracism in medicine efforts have transpired since 2020. However, no ethical guidelines exist to guide them. This oversight is concerning because the racism and white supremacy rife within medicine can easily thwart them. This article addresses this gap by highlighting ethical guidelines for antiracism work in medicine. We present nine core tenets derived from our experience forming the Antiracist Healing Collaborative (AHC), a medical student-led initiative committed to developing bold and disruptive antiracist medical education content. Our lessons developing and implementing these tenets can guide other antiracism in medicine collaborations striving to promote liberation and healing, rather than recapitulating the racism and white supremacy culture embedded within medicine. We close by reflecting on how these tenets have steadied our recent decision to draw AHC to a close. They have allowed us to honour what we achieved together, strengthen the relationship that formed the foundation for our activism and bolster the shared antiracism mission that will guide our individual journeys moving forwards. The first of their kind, our ethical guidelines for antiracism work in medicine can facilitate greater recognition of the risks embedded in anti-oppression work transpiring in academic settings.