DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The Department of Medicine stresses that diversity drives innovation and promotes health equity. With the help of the Department of Medicine Inclusion Council, our mission is to advance the diversity and inclusion of faculty and trainees through education, advocacy, scholarly activities, mentorship, and networking. We are constantly striving to achieve this mission, and our successes to date are due to several Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, including our Bias Reduction in Internal Medicine (BRiM) Workshop, Department of Medicine Inclusion Council, Anti–Racism Urgent Action Committee, Anti-Racism in Medicine (ARIM) Lecture Series, Diversity Seminar Series, Internal Medicine Summer Immersion Program, Church-based health outreach program (CHOP), and Urban Health Mentorship Program.

Cultural, racial, and ethnic diversity abound across our campus.  The University of Illinois College of Medicine is one of the most diverse medical schools in the country ranking number 1 in Latinx graduates and number 5 in African American graduates.  The Internal Medicine Residency has twice the national average of underrepresented minorities training in it. We serve a large, diverse patient population who come from all over the United States and the world, providing us with a variety of medical illnesses and a culturally rich education.

Contact Us diversitydom@uic.edu

Under-Represented in Medicine Virtual Open House for Resident Applicants

The Department of Medicine Inclusion Council (DOMIC) will host an Under-Represented in Medicine Virtual Open House on Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at 7:00PM for scheduled applicants. Faculty and residents will speak about our program’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and answer questions from prospective resident applicants. Look out for an email from DEI Administration.

Healthcare Disparities and Anti-Racism in Medicine Lecture (ARIM) Series
8/15/23: PEACH T (Provider Education Across Chicago Healthcare: Transgender and Gender Diverse Care)
4/17/23: Impact of COVID-19: Lessons Learned and Actionable Steps for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals America (Culturally Sensitive Care and Inclusion Series)
4/14/23: COVID-19: Disruptions in Social Connections of Black People in America (Culturally Sensitive Care and Inclusion Series)
3/14/23: Missing the Target: Pitfalls of Race-Based Hypertension Guidelines
2/28/23: Racism in Medicine: A Cross-Campus Physician Panel on Strategies for Equity in Healthcare
2/24/23: Providing LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Care: A Case Based Discussion
2/22/23: Unmasking Health Disparities Amongst Asian and Pacific Islanders with Breast Cancer
2/1/23: LGBTQ Health in the Arab World
12/14/22: Race, Racism and Population Health: Lessons from Infant Mortality
11/14/22: Native Healthcare: Past, Present, and Future
10/10/22: The Free Clinic Movement and the Struggle for Health Justice in 1970s Chicago
10/6/22: Leadership, Mentorship, and Promotion of Latino Healthcare Professionals
10/4/22: Gender Affirming Care

Access to recording of various presentations

Addressing Microagressions in Medicine (AMiM) and Bias Reduction in Internal Medicine (BRiM) Training.

In September 2022, the UIC Department of Medicine received a $20,000 grant from the American College of Physicians to improve the quality of its education and training program and build a more trustworthy health care system. Led by Alana Biggers, MD, MPH, FACP and a team of dedicated Department of Medicine faculty and staff, the grant will enable the DOM to address microaggressions in the workplace with the aim to enhance workplace satisfaction and minimize burnout that can affect patient care. Over two years, the team will enhance a current microaggressions reporting system and use the reported incidents to develop ongoing interactive workshops on how to address microaggressions in the workplace. In January 2023, UIC released the Bias Reporting Tool, so students, faculty, residents, and staff can report their experiences with bias, discrimination and harassment. By reporting an incident that was experienced or witnessed, UIC is able to gain valuable information about issues impacting the campus community

In 2018, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison developed the Bias Reduction in Internal Medicine (BRiM) workshop with the goal of making participants aware of their implicit biases, learn to name them, and them to tame them to greatly reduce microaggressions in the workplace. The UIC DOM was honored to be the first program in the country to participate in this important initiative. Led by Drs. Waddah Alrefai and Min Joo all residents and faculty partake in the Bias Reduction in Internal Medicine (BRiM) workshop.

LGBTQ+ Inclusive Healthcare

UI Health provides exceptional care to (LGBTQIA+) patients and families through our commitment to treating all patients with dignity, respect, and compassion. We take great pride in and accept the responsibility that comes with that commitment. When patients visit LGBTQ.UIHealth.Care, they’ll find listings of all of our inclusive care specialists, services, and dedicated patient navigation. As healthcare equality leaders, we are committed to removing barriers to care for (LGBTQIA+) patients and providing the accessible, affirming healthcare services they need and deserve. The LGBTQ+ Inclusive Care page helps to further our mission to provide respectful, compassionate, personalized care for every patient.

As reported in August 2023, the University of Illinois Chicago has been named one of the top 30 colleges and universities for LGBTQ+ students, according to Campus Pride, a national organization serving LGBTQ+ and ally student leaders and campus organizations in the areas of leadership development, support programs and service. UIC is the only Chicago-based institution and one of only two universities in Illinois to earn the Best of the Best recognition. The distinction is determined by the Campus Pride Index.

The Department of Medicine Inclusion Council recognizes the contributions of LGBTQIA+ members of the UIC and UI Health communities.  Diversity, inclusion, belonging and anti-racist efforts are topics that impact health. We reinforce our commitment to greater inclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals both at UIC as well as in healthcare spaces. The Council encourages you to learn more about the LGBTQIA+ community as it relates to healthcare and how you can contribute to making more inclusive spaces.  Please view the LGBTQIA+ offerings in our Culturally Sensitive Care series. We also invite you to celebrate the richness of the LGBTQIA+ community through cultural events, celebrations, books, movies, and other educational experiences.

UIC Gender and Sexuality Center: https://gsc.uic.edu/

UIC Safe Zone: UIC is proud to participate in the Safe Zone program. Safe Zone is a training designed to heighten awareness of LGBTQ issues and concerns. Safe Zone is offered regularly and is designed to put a human face on human issues. Contact oae@uic.edu for future trainings.

Office of Graduate Medical Education Diversity and Inclusion

Keia Hobbs, MD, FAAFP, Assistant Dean of Graduate Medical Education and Chair, GME Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council
The GME DEI Council hosts gatherings for self-identified URIM’s to socialize after work.

UI Hospital and UICOM Diversity and Inclusion Leadership

Gloria Elam, MD, MPH, Associate Dean of Diversity and Inclusion, Office Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Constance Umbles-Sailers, MS, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, University of Illinois College of Medicine

Monica Vela, MD, Director of the Hispanic Center of Excellence and Professor of Medicine

Rani Morrison, FACHE, MS, MSW, Chief Diversity & Community Health Equity Officer & Chair, Committee for Anti-Racism & Equity, Cotis Mitchell, Director, Health Equity, and Jolie Holliman-Douge’, Director, Diversity and Inclusion, University of Illinois Hospital & Clinics