About
Photo caption: Left to right, Drs. Bory Kea, assistant professor of emergency medicine; Interim Chief Diversity Officer Derick Du Vivier and Jennifer Huang, assistant professor of pediatrics, OHSU School of Medicine, who recently shared their views on recruiting diverse faculty. Photo by Jordan Sleeth.
Diversity is central to OHSU's core values. "Be a great organization, diverse in people and ideas" is the first goal in our Vision 2020 Strategic Plan. It sets the tone for how we operate today and where we're headed. Since 1887, we have grown into a world-class teaching hospital and teaching center that educates and cares for people from many cultures, beliefs systems, and experiences.
Center for Diversity and Inclusion
The Center for Diversity and Inclusion, led by Derick Du Vivier, M.D., Vice President, Equity and Inclusion, leads and supports university-wide initiatives to create an environment of respect and inclusion for all people. The Center is dedicated to fostering partnerships to enhance OHSU's mission of healing, teaching, research and community services. With a range of resources and services, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion supports and empowers students, faculty and staff from all walks of life, including historically underrepresented populations.
Support we offer
Employee Support
OHSU seeks to attract, retain, develop the best talent available and create an environment that values diversity and inclusion. Our continued success depends on the diverse skills, experiences, and backgrounds that all our employees bring to OHSU. To help foster growth and development while meeting the needs of a more diverse workforce, OHSU supports the formation and ongoing success of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).
Find a current list of Employee Resource Groups here.
The CDI office offers a safe shared space for ERGs/SIGs and other DEI partners around campus.
The Multicultural Center offers:
- Meeting space
- On-campus work space
- Event space for ERG/SIG events and cultural events on campus
- Computer and printing room
Organizational Training and Education
An Introduction to the Antiracism & Multiculturalism Continuum: Institutional Racism in Healthcare Settings
This introductory self-guided 45-minute asynchronous course provides participants with a foundational learning experience to acquire the language and concepts to prepare for more in-depth discussions related to structural, institutional, and systemic racism. This course aligns with OHSU's priority of becoming an antiracism and multicultural institution. The topic of systemic and institutional racism and its impacts are complex; therefore, this course mainly focuses on institutional racism in healthcare-related domains. A resource guide accompanies this training, and examples of current institutional efforts are outlined in the modules.
Intercultural Communication Training is a two-hour synchronous training aimed at increasing self-awareness and cultural awareness of personal beliefs, attitudes, emotions, and values, as well as the way they impact communication in interpersonal interactions. Learners will explore concepts of cultural sensitivity, cultural humility, varying communication styles within the context of power and privilege relations, and how to leverage cultural diversity. Through varying activities, learners will demonstrate their understanding of these core concepts. Led by the trainers of OHSU’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion, the Intercultural Communication Training workshop aims at advancing OHSU’s goal of becoming an anti-racist multicultural institution.
Search Advocates are trained external search committee members who promote equity by serving as equity-centered advisors of the search and selection process. Search Advocates at OHSU undergo a 16-hour training course before becoming a member of the search advocates team. Additionally, each member receives ongoing coaching and guidance as they navigate preparations to serve in a search committee. After the four-day training, each member of the search advocacy committee becomes part of a learning community by engaging in practice-based and situated learning continual professional development opportunities.
Stepping In for Respect is a bystander intervention training intended to cultivate a culture of respect and inclusion amongst colleagues and leaders, therefore having a positive impact on the workplace environment and healthcare delivery. The overall program is designed to provide two levels of engagement: institutional leadership and the healthcare and support teams comprised of faculty, staff and trainees, students.
Learn more about Stepping In for Respect
The School of Medicine facilitates training for everyone in the School of Medicine while the Center for Diversity and Inclusion facilitates the training for non-School of Medicine members.
In an effort to build an inclusive community, OHSU launched a campus-wide initiative on unconscious bias in early 2018. The initiative comprises training for employees and students, the Inclusion Ambassadors program and continued education through lectures, talks and work group activities. In 2019, specially-designed training was made available for hiring managers, search committees and anyone involved in the hiring process.
Student Diversity Recruitment and Retention
To ensure that OHSU recruits and retains diverse students, faculty and staff, efforts must be intentional and focused. The Center for Diversity and Inclusion works with OHSU schools, academic programs and units to provide support for all students. OHSU is home to local chapters of distinguished national student organizations and other diverse student interest groups. Below is a list of diverse campus groups, and you can find more general information about student interest groups here.
The Equity Research program offers an exciting opportunity for undergraduate college students to spend eight to 10 weeks during the summer working with faculty and graduate students in a research setting. The students learn new skills and gain hands-on experience. Applicants choose from a variety of OHSU departments and programs.
The Power of Difference
We strive to build a vibrant environment, where the power of difference maximizes true potential for innovation, collaboration and excellence.
Embracing diversity gives us the power to be better at what we do and to demonstrate leadership in healing, teaching, research and community service. A diverse workforce and student body helps us attract and retain top talent, flourish in a competitive market and ensure flexibility to thrive.
The Power of You
Creating a community of inclusion does not just happen, and it cannot be achieved by a single department or committee. It is a transformation that occurs only when each of us embraces diversity and leads by example.