UrGEnT Project

The UrGEnT project (Underrepresented Groups’ Experiences in osteopathic Training) assessed osteopathic students’ cultural humility disposition and explored students from underrepresented groups experience of their osteopathic training. The project was led by Dr Jerry Draper-Rodi, and the research team included Prof John Hammond (St George’s University of London), Prof Steven Vogel (HSU), Prof Hilary Abbey, Mr Andrew MacMillan, Ms Yinka Fabusuyi (HSU), and Dr Kevin Brownhill (HSU).

Summary findings were presented during a multi stakeholder forum on Thursday 06/04/23 at the UCO.

The research project was conducted over different phases, described by Mr Steven Vogel, Deputy Vice Chancellor at UCO, in this video:

Dr Lade Smith CBE gave a keynote presentation on the medical perspective of ensuring equality and diversity in Education. Dr Smith is the 18th President Elect of the Royal College of Psychiatry. She is a consultant psychiatrist at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and an academic at King’s College London. She is also a Royal College of Psychiatry Presidential Lead for Race and Equality and Clinical and Strategic Director with the College’s National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH). Lade will be the College’s first Black President and the fifth woman at the helm.

The UrGEnT project started with a review of the literature to explore the experiences described from students in chiropractic, osteopathic and physiotherapy undergraduate training. Dr Jerry Draper-Rodi, Senior Research Fellow at the UCO and the Principal Investigator for UrGEnT, presented the findings from this systematic review. It was conducted with Andrew MacMillan and David Hohenschurz-Schmidt for the UCO, and titled “Discrimination, bullying or harassment in undergraduate education in the osteopathic, chiropractic and physiotherapy professions”.

View Dr Smith’s Slides

View Dr Draper-Rodi’s Slides

Following the systematic review, a national survey was conducted: Students from all the Osteopathic Educational Institutions in the UK were invited to take part. The survey assessed their experience during their undergraduate training and also their self-rated cultural humility. Mr Steven Vogel presented the results of this survey.

View Mr Vogel’s Slides

In order to understand better the students’ experiences, a series of focus groups were conducted by the research team with students who were female, from an ethnic minority group, identifying as LGBTQIA+ and/or living with a disability. One of the aims of these focus groups was also to prioritise what the osteopathic educational institutions could do to enhance their inclusivity. Dr Draper-Rodi presented and overview of the results of these focus groups, followed by a panel discussion with some of the research team members.

View Dr Draper-Rodi’s Slides

In the afternoon a series of workshops were run:

• promoting and delivering an inclusive curriculum (Facilitators: Ms Yinka Fabusuyi and Mr Patrick Gauthier)
• supporting staff to provide an inclusive environment and culture (Facilitators: Dr Hilary Abbey and Dr John Hammond)
• supporting students to enhance their awareness and inclusion (Facilitators: Mr Steven Vogel and Mr Michael Ofo)

The workshops were not recorded but the summary of the discussions and action points from each workshop and closing remarks were.

The project was funded by the Osteopathic Foundation, the University College of Osteopathy, the General Osteopathic Council and the Institute of Osteopathy.