January marks the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which honors the civil rights leader on the third Monday of the month. We are facing challenging times and as we look for answers, let’s reflect on MLK’s quote, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others?’” We need unity now more than ever.
On January 27, 2022, we partner with Yale New Haven Hospital’s Office of Graduate Medical Education, Yale School of Medicine Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Yale New Haven Health’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and Yale School of Medicine’s Minority Organization for Recruitment & Expansion and Diversity, Inclusion, Community, Engagement, and Equity on the 5th annual recruitment dinner for potential underrepresented in medicine (URiM) residents. Last year, the event drew a record-breaking number of participants. The event will again be held on a virtual platform due to the ongoing pandemic. Let me know if you would like more information about the dinner.
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Internal Medicine (ODEIM) support staff continues to expand website content to present a more cohesive and unified story about our commitment to DEI. Recently, we added content on the department site aimed at prospective residents, as well as on our Residency Training Programs website. In addition, the office is making greater use of the Teams platform, sharing funding and education resources. If you’d like to be added to the ODEIM Team, contact Cayetana Navarro.
The DEI vice chiefs and working group leads have started collaborating to identify the needs of each section, and to bring the working groups efforts into alignment. Additionally, we are looking at how the impressive ID2EA curriculum developed by the Section of Infectious Diseases could possibly be replicated and shared throughout the department.
For this month’s “Voices of DEI,” we highlight Iman Simmonds, MD, MPH. You can read this column on the website and via social media. I hope you enjoy it! If you wish to participate, complete the survey at this link.
Please contact me with any questions regarding the department’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and/or ODEIM. As always, thank you for all you do to make Yale a better place.
Sincerely,
Inginia Genao, MD, FACP
Associate Chair, Diversity & Inclusion