I have much to update you on since I wrote last month. I have been meeting people with Yale School of Medicine and the Yale New Haven Hospital graduate medical education office. I have also been working with many groups across the institution on recruitment events, working group and diversity work participation, and mentorship and retention.
Recruitment
On August 9, I sat down with the Yale Minority Housestaff Organization (MHO) executive board so that we can develop a working partnership for recruitment. As part of this collaboration, we plan to host virtual recruitment events in September. In addition, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Medicine (ODEIM) is partnering with the MHO to plan a tri-state virtual recruitment fair with medical schools in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, to try and increase our diversity recruitment from local areas. This event would be the first such event held by Yale.
From September 14 to 17, representatives from the Departments of Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, and Obstetrics & Gynecology will attend the Latino Medical Student Association National Conference in Atlanta. The same weekend, staff, faculty, and trainees from the Internal Medicine, Medicine – Pediatrics, Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Psychiatry programs will attend a recruitment fair at Meharry Medical College in Nashville.
Additionally, we are holding a virtual recruitment fair on September 7 for four Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Morehouse School of Medicine, Howard University College of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. I have also been in contact with other universities with a diverse student body to see if we can participate in recruitment fairs at their locations.
Working Groups & ODEIM Participation
Cayetana and I are rebooting the ODEIM working groups. A new invitation for membership will be sent soon. Ideally, we would like to ensure each group has a chair or co-chairs to lead the work, and clearly defined goals and objectives. We expect that the working group leaders will interview prospective members to share the commitment level and expectations. This is critical work, and we want every person in a working group to be an active participant.
I would also like to see more staff representation on the diversity committee. I want to make sure that we are advocating for the department staff. I am working on the details and will share more information as it becomes available. Please contact me via email in the meantime if you would like more information.
Mentorship & Retention
On August 11, the MHO welcomed new URiM interns at an event in New Haven. [The event was held at 116 Crown and was well attended by close to 70 people. All had fun as new and current members of the MHO and their guests got to exchange stories and get to know each other.
In mid-September, the Minority Organization for Retention and Expansion (MORE) is holding a welcome retreat. I met with MORE leadership a few weeks ago to discuss how I can engage the underrepresented in medicine (URiM) faculty to create a cross-specialty mentorship for the trainees. Trainees tend to have a team of mentors for career, and research and scholarly work. I also want to create a cross-specialty URiM physician experience mentorship program. A mentorship program wherein URiM faculty can serve as mentors/coaches for the URiM physician experience: challenges they have faced and strategies they have employed. Essentially, their lived experience as URiM physicians here and at other institutions. I think these interactions and conversations will be mutually beneficial.
During the month of August, below details secular and religious events to be aware of:
- August 9 was the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People. Created by the United Nations to being awareness of the needs of this population, the 2023 theme focuses on indigenous youth. Learn more on the United Nations website.
- Today is the Feast of the Assumption, a holy day for those observing the Catholic faith. Catholics believe August 15 is the day that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken to heaven.
- For the Hindu religion, there are two festivals of note: August 18 celebrates Lord Krishna’s birthday, and August 31 celebrates Lord Ganesha’s birth.
- Women’s Equality Day celebrates the women’s right to vote on August 26.
For this month’s “Voices of DEI,” we highlight Pamela Kunz, MD. She believes that “diversity, equity and inclusion is a way of thinking, a lens through which we look and must apply deliberately to our research, education, and patient care.” You can read this column on the website and via social media. If you wish to participate as a featured voice of DEI, please complete the survey at this link.
I am committed to supporting and expanding DEI efforts within the Department of Internal Medicine; please join me. Equity begins with everyone.
Respectfully Yours,
Benjamin Mba, MBBS, MRCP (UK), CHCQM, FACP
Vice Chair, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine
Graduate Medical Education Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Yale New Haven Hospital