Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that more than 70 million American adults have a disability. October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The observance, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy “celebrates the value and talent workers with disabilities add to America’s workplaces and economy.”
Outreach and Recruitment
On September 18, the Department of Internal Medicine hosted the “Advancing Health Equity: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond” summit. Over 70 panelists, facilitators, and participants from across the country convened in New Haven to discuss strategies to advance health equity nationwide through three panel discussions and Q&A sessions. The event was a phenomenal success as determined by participant feedback and evaluations.
This summit spurned robust discussions and networking, and many innovative ideas were shared from different institutions. A great aspect of the summit was that we looked at experiences and strategies, from safety net systems to academic medical systems, to things at Yale. We also touched on healthcare for incarcerated populations.
Our plan is that this will be the first of a series of health equity summits held by the Department of Internal Medicine. Post-event digital and printed summit recap reports, along with a website are under production. I will let you know when those materials are available. You can watch a story about the event from WNTH News 8 on the website.
A 24-person delegation from Yale School of Medicine and Yale New Haven Hospital attended the Latino Medical Student Association national conference in Los Angeles from September 20-22. We had a lot of engagement from the medical students at the event. Thank you to the residents who did an excellent job representing their programs at Yale, our values, our inclusive environment, and our excellent training opportunities. I would also like to thank Cat Gomez-Stafford, who coordinated all the logistics to ensure a fantastic experience for all of us.
Interview season is underway for our residency programs. I look forward to participating in interviewing a diverse group of candidates for the Yale Internal Medicine Traditional and Primary Care Residency programs.
Special Events
In September, I had the privilege of attending the third Annual Inginia Genao Lecture in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion hosted by General Internal Medicine. The speaker was Valencia Walker, MD, MPH, FAAP, vice dean for Health Equity and Inclusion at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Her talk, "Reclaiming Joy as a Radical Act and Sustaining Efforts to Attain Health Justice," cited ways to advance health equity.
It was lovely to see Inginia again. I always look forward to this lecture in her honor. Thank you to Aba Black, MD, MHS, for nominating the speaker and arranging the event.
If you would like to watch the presentation, you can watch the video via Yale Box.
Upcoming Talks
Don’t miss our next Equity Begins with Everyone (EBE) gathering on Monday, October 21 at noon in Fitkin Auditorium and on Zoom. We highly encourage in-person attendance. Our speaker will be Julie Parry, associate director of communications. We will continue our theme of sourcing food from different parts of the world.
Below are some of the secular and religious events during October:
October 1 – 4: Rosh Hashanah
October 10: World Mental Health Day
October 11 - 12: Yom Kippur
October 14: Indigenous People’s Day
October 31 – November 4: Diwali
Did you complete the Diversity Engagement Survey (DES) from the YSM Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion? The learnings from this 10-minute confidential survey will be critical to informing our strategies to enhance inclusion and belonging at YSM. Look for your unique link in an email from Yale DES and complete the survey before the Wednesday, October 23 deadline.
If you haven’t participated in our monthly column, “Voices of DEI,” please consider doing so. This month, we highlight Basile Njei, MD, MPH, PhD. He believes that “a diversity of perspectives, cultures, and experiences enriches and strengthens our communities.” If you wish to be a featured voice of DEI, please complete the survey using this link.
I am committed to supporting and expanding DEI efforts within the Department of Internal Medicine; please join me. Equity begins with everyone. Together, we strive. Together, we rise.
Respectfully Yours,
Benjamin
Benjamin Mba, MBBS, MRCP (UK), CHCQM, FACP
Professor of Medicine
Vice Chair, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Department of Internal Medicine
Graduate Medical Education Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion & Associate Designated Institutional Official for Yale New Haven Hospital and Yale School of Medicine