Use of interactive theater for faculty development in multicultural medical education

Background: The development of critical consciousness, anchored in principles of social justice, is an essential component of medical education. Aim: In order to assist faculty instructors in facilitating small-group discussions on potentially contentious issues involving race, gender, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic class, a faculty development workshop was created. Methods: The workshop used 'Forum Theater' techniques in which the audience was directly involved in determining the course of a simulated classroom discussion and conflict. We assessed the workshop's impact on the instructors' attitudes regarding facilitation of small-group discussions through two surveys: one to gauge immediate impressions, and another, 9-15 months later, to assess impact over time. Results: Immediately after the workshop, participants reported that the topics covered in the sketch and in the discussion were highly relevant. In the follow-up survey, the instructors agreed that the workshop had raised their awareness of the classroom experiences of minorities and women and had offered strategies for addressing destructive classroom dynamics. 72% reported that the workshop led to changes in their behavior as facilitators. Differences in responses according to gender were observed. Conclusions: A workshop using interactive theater was effective in training faculty to facilitate small-group discussions about multicultural issues. This approach emphasizes and models the need to foster critical consciousness in medical education.