Racial Equity, Ethics, and Sustainable Futures in Anatomical Sciences

Bibliographic Data

ID24233942
AuthorsGwen Robbins Schug (0000-0002-3928-9230), Shelly Brown-Jeffy, Torren Gatson, Andrea Hunter (0000-0002-2045-6262), Ayesha S Boyce (0000-0002-9509-8703), Anne Marie E Snoddy (0000-0002-0516-785X)
Year2026
Pages47-70
Publication date2026-01-01
Open AccessYes
TypeCHAPTER
VenueBioarchaeology, Activism and Social Justice (SOURCE_BOOK)
PublisherSpringer Nature Switzerland (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/978-3-032-10354-3_3
OpenAlexW7143300446
ISBN9783032103543
LanguageEN
References cited71

This chapter presents an actionable framework for confronting entrenched inequities and ethical challenges in anatomical sciences education. Although racially marginalized (RM) individuals comprise 30% of the U.S. population, they represent only 18% of STEM degree earners, underscoring enduring structural barriers. The REBOoT (Racial Equity, Bioethics, and Organizational Transformation) Model uses Theory of Change (ToC) to respond to three linked domains: faculty development, curriculum reform, and leadership pathways for RM students. Its Head-Heart-Hands approach cultivates reflective, equity-driven faculty capable of translating ethical commitments into inclusive pedagogy. Central to the model is a call to ethically transform how human remains are stewarded and taught, foregrounding the historical harms embedded in anatomical collections and advancing community-engaged practices. Implementation includes scaffolded mentorship, curricular integration of bioethical inquiry, and intentional opportunities for RM students to lead and participate in research. By coupling diversity, equity, and inclusion principles with ethical stewardship and community partnerships, the framework provides a scalable, institutionally adaptable strategy for advancing student success—particularly at Minority Serving Institutions. Ultimately, this model offers a path toward an anatomical sciences curriculum that not only diversifies participation, but also confronts the discipline’s legacies of racism and exploitation while building a more just and sustainable future.

anatomical collections · Bioethics · Community participation · curriculum reform · diversity, equity, and inclusion · Faculty Development · mentoring · minority-serving institutions · racial equity · racialized students · sustainable futures · Theory of change · Critical Race Theory in Education · Higher Education Practises and Engagement · Race, Genetics, and Society