Primary Care Training Enhancement

The Horatio Alger Activity physically and visually illustrates the often invisible presence of oppression and privilege in our lives. The activity is used to demonstrate differences within a group that otherwise have a common characteristic (ie health professionals, medical students, etc). Using statements from the Horatio Alger Activity (provided by instructors), a Population Health Application Exercise and discussion follows to examine how social determinants, oppression and privilege lead to health disparities.

Session Length: 60-75 minutes

Prerequisite(s): None

Learning Objectives

• Define oppression and privilege with common examples.
• Define our own and others’ mixed experience of oppression and privilege.
• Challenge and reduce feelings of guilt, blame and denial regarding the experience of oppression and/or privilege.
• Examine how the Population Health Model applies to common examples of oppression/privilege.
• Cultivate strong bonds among fellowship participants.

Author:  Michael J. Appleman, M.A. Ed.​

School: Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)