Topics of Importance

Yale Department of Emergency Medicine is committed to diversity equity and inclusion in all its forms. We believe that an inclusive work environment is important to recruit and retain a diverse faculty. Our faculty development series includes workshops focusing on subjects including microaggressions, and upstander interventions. We strive to create a culture of sponsorship, recognizing faculty for their involvement in DEI initiatives and nominating diverse faculty for national awards.

The Status of Women in Medicine (SWIM) was established in 1975 to address issues in gender equality, with direct reporting to the Dean of the School of Medicine (SOM). The goal of this committee is to raise awareness of issues relevant to women faculty and work collaboratively to find solutions. The DEM liaisons to the SWIM committee represent the women faculty and help foster and develop a supportive climate. Our local section of SWIM provides an opportunity for women faculty in the DEM to gather, collaborate, support one another, and advance the issues of particular concern to women faculty.

The Wellness Committee of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Yale is dedicated to enhancing faculty well-being and fostering an inclusive environment. Our focus is on identifying and addressing the underlying causes of burnout, integrating perspectives from administration, research, and education. By targeting these areas, we aim to promote personal and professional growth among our faculty members. Our initiatives are designed to create a supportive and thriving department, ensuring that our faculty can excel in their roles while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. This committee is a cornerstone in our commitment to building a resilient and empowered emergency medicine community at Yale.

Our growing faculty group includes an increasingly diverse set of expertise, interests, and goals. We recognize the need to ensure the visibility of and grow opportunities for all faculty ranging from Instructors to seasoned Professors. The cornerstone of our efforts includes drawing from our extensive institutional and national networks to help bridge connections between faculty and potential collaborators and mentors. We have created a database of awards, opportunities, and professional development programs relevant to our faculty and also developed a structured system to identify candidates, prepare and submit nominations, and celebrate our many successes. Our efforts are designed to intentionally consider each individual's work and professional trajectory in order to promote their personal and professional growth.

We appreciate that learning needs to be continuously fostered and supported, even after residency. From the start, junior and new faculty begin their journey at Yale with a comprehensive orientation “boot camp.” This covers onboarding and logistics of working and supervising within the clinical space. It also includes a variety of topics such as a refresher in emergency ultrasound, simulation of Yale-specific alerts, hands-on practice with rare procedures, and delivering meaningful on-shift teaching. Additionally, we hold monthly junior (and mid-career/ senior) sessions during our faculty development series which allows further discussion and practice in a safe environment. Subject matter changes yearly depending on the needs and feedback of junior faculty.