Introducing Jorge Moreno, MD, of the Section of General Internal Medicine.
What does diversity, equity, and inclusion mean to you personally?
When I think of diversity, equity and inclusion I think of these terms as three separate concepts coming together to achieve a mission. Diversity acknowledges the importance of having people of varied perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds for an institution or system to thrive. Equity helps define the standard to make the environment fair and just. Inclusion is how the system or institution will respond, support, and carry out this diversity and equity work.
Why do you value diversity?
Diversity is critical in all settings, especially in healthcare. Our patients come from varied backgrounds and experiences. Having a diverse workforce will strengthen our awareness of these differences, give us the tools to approach these situations, and more importantly improve the care we provide our patients.
Why should an academic setting be equal and inclusive?
In academics, the path is challenging at the onset. The environment can have inequities creating obstacles for people of underrepresented groups. Inclusion in academics is critical not only to support these individuals, but in an effort to find a solution to remedy these inequities.
Why are you on the DEI Committee?
As a Hispanic physician, I hope to bring my perspective and experiences to highlight areas that can be stronger in our DEI mission, and also identify actions that can be taken to reach these goals.
What do you look forward to most?
I look forward to welcoming more URiM trainees in all our programs to continue strengthening the clinical and research programs at Yale.
What changes have you noticed in the department?
The leadership and support in this department by Dr. Inginia Genao has been vital to the changes that are occurring now and that are coming in the future.
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; that providing 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.