When one size does not fit all : creative enablers to achieve diversity, equity and inclusion in health professional education

Introduction The ANZAHPE Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) subcommittee was developed to promote accessible and equitable enactment of DEI principles in health professional education (HPE) programs across Australia and New Zealand. This initiative is designed to benefit the organisation and the broader community, particularly people with identities that have been historically and systemically marginalised.. Thinking critically about our educational practice is necessary to ensure safe learning environments and promote equitable practices. Many health professional educators role model and innovate their teaching practices with DEI in mind; some of these are documented while other innovations may not have been shared widely. Led by the ANZAHPE DEI Sub-Committee, this PeArLS session will provide the opportunity to showcase a range of creative enablers currently practiced by health professional educators across diverse HPE settings to achieve DEI objectives. Methods The PeArLs session will serve as a platform for participants to develop insights regarding DEI practice, sharing experiences of challenges and successful strategies. This interactive dialogue aims to benefit participants by fostering connections, facilitating the creation of a community of practice, and developing a repository of creative solutions. The insights gained from this session will not only contribute to the collective participant knowledge base but will also inform future DEI initiatives for the ANZAHPE community. Results/Evaluation We will conduct a post-session evaluation to assess the effectiveness of the PeArLs session in promoting DEI in HPE, including assessing knowledge exchange, repository development, and perceived impact for future initiatives. Discussion While DEI strategies in education have been disparate and inconsistent, there is a growing momentum to encourage discussions and sharing of these practices. Collecting diverse adaptable examples during this session provides a foundation for advancing effective DEI practices in Australia and New Zealand, aligning with calls from professional bodies for equitable approaches in HPE.