Diversity and Inclusion
Our Internal Medicine Residency Program is committed to diversity, inclusion, equity and justice. We recognize that we have explicitly and implicitly condoned racism and that our actions have irreparably harmed every facet of life for the Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous community.
With the unfathomable and innumerable deaths of black men and women and black trans women, we understand the privilege we have as physicians to change structural racism. We recognize that becoming anti-racist starts with ourselves. We also recognize that healthcare stands at the intersection of the many other important aspects of life and that we can and need to make a difference.
Our institution has undergone an extensive review by the law firm Covington and Burling, LLP and has now provided a valuable guide on how to eliminate inequitable treatment, discrimination and harassment. An oversight committee has been established by OHSU and is co-chaired by Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capuia, an expert in trauma informed system change and faculty at Harvard Medical School and OHSU, and Michael Alexander, MSS, former president of the Urban League of Portland, vice president of the Port of Portland Commission and board chair for the Black United Fund. The committee will provide input in the decision making process of the Implementation Committee. Both committees were established to transform OHSU for the better.
We will continue to drive forward as a program, department, and institution to end racism within and beyond our physical and emotional space. We will listen and work to end the intolerability of racism.
OHSU has a number of other initiatives as outlined here. As a residency program, we will continue our anti-racism work which include the following but are not limited to these:
- We established a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion resident-led committee who has partnered with On Track!, an OHSU group who works with Oregon middle and high schools to increase the number of students from underrepresented minority backgrounds in the health sciences.
- Added diversity and social determinants of health learning into every noon report session
- Continue our holistic approach to recruiting a diverse group of residents so that we may transform healthcare
- Participate in University and GME led efforts to end racism at OHSU
- Completed Upstander Intervention Training for all residents and faculty
- Participate in a new initiative called Stepping in for Respect, a bystander intervention training to create a respectful and inclusive environment for all.
- Funding the directorship of the Advocacy Program (Drs. Joel Burnett and Kelsi Manley) and to expand our advocacy curriculum
- Continue to add anti-racism workshops into our residency related retreats
- Seek new opportunities to engage with the broader community in volunteer opportunities; led by our Volunteer Committee under the IM Residency Council
- Raise money for organizations who continue their work in dismantling racism
- June 2021-Raised $4000 and June 2020-Raised $8000 for NxNE Clinic
- A new initiative is beginning in June 2022 to raise more money for NxNE clinic
Embracing diversity, equity and inclusion gives us the power to be better at what we do, and allows us to demonstrate integrity, compassion and leadership.
The OHSU Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI), leads and supports the 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.
OHSU Diversity and Inclusion Awards
CDI News
Hear how members of the OHSU community value equity and inclusion, and are working toward increased engagement and culture change.
'As a medical community, we must speak out and break the stronghold of racial injustices'
o At OHSU and in our program, we have been on the journey to become anti-racist and are accelerating our efforts to do so. The institution under the leadership of OHSU President, Dr. Danny Jacobs and numerous other invested individuals such as the Dean of the School of Medicine, Dr. David Jacoby, have initiated a number of changes:
- Dr. Derick Du Vivier has been named Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and will report directly to OHSU President, Dr. Danny Jacobs
- OHSU will revise the Code of Conduct policy to make displaying hateful imagery an explicit violation that is subject to discipline up to termination
- OHSU has terminated the contract with Oregon Correction Enterprises for laundry services
- Review of OHSU's Public Safety Organization has been completed
- OHSU added a paid leave day for everyone to honor Juneteenth
- OHSU has identified disparities in access with telehealth and is actively engaging with communities to improve this area of medicine.
- OHSU along with the Oregon Legislature will work to expand class sizes in clinical education programs and uplift diversity and learner pathway programs.
- Dr. Erik Brodt, assistant dean for Native American health in the SOM was recently recognized and elected to the National Academy of Medicine. Dr. Brodt directs OHSU's Northwest Native American Center of Excellence.
- OHSU's Vaccine Equity Committee have partnered with community organizations to provide more than 40 unique and culturally and linguistically specific clinics in the metro area to provide vaccines to many underrepresented in medicine.
- OHSU has made a clear stance on our support of transgender and gender diverse communities.
White Coats for Black Lives Matter
North by Northeast Fundraiser
OHSU GME Virtual Diversity Open House
The OHSU GME department will host a virtual open house for individuals from diverse backgrounds who are interested in any of our 93 post-graduate training programs.
AAMC recognizes OHSU efforts to advance health care equity through telehealth and health technology
OHSU named an LGBTQ+Healthcare Equality Leader
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