Introducing Stephen Holt, MD, MS, of the Section of General Internal Medicine.
What does diversity, equity, and inclusion mean to you personally?
As a white, straight, abled, male physician, I recognize that I am enormously privileged, and thus in a position to either propagate/ignore systemic racism and injustice, or stand with my URM colleagues in combating it.
Why do you value diversity?
I think DEI is the single most important issue of social justice of our time. It is not only RIGHT that all humans should be treated equally, it is also abundantly clear from an overwhelming body of evidence that embracing diversity makes an organization or institution BETTER.
Why should an academic setting be equal and inclusive?
We can't expect an institution disproportionately led by white, straight, male physicians to navigate the complexities of healthcare delivery, public health, and scholarship from their narrow, privileged perspectives, no matter how actively they may try to counteract their biases.
What do you look forward to most with these efforts?
Objective changes to URM representation at all levels.
The Department of Internal Medicine’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Internal Medicine knows that diversity, equity, and inclusion is critical to our mission; aims to provide a safe, welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds results in beneficial diversity of thought; and believes that having a diverse team enhances our ability to provide excellent clinical care, research, and medical education.