UMN Dermatology - Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

University of Minnesota School of Medicine Diversity Statement:

The University of Minnesota Medical School is committed to excellence. Our mission will only be achieved through embracing and nurturing an environment of diversity, inclusiveness, equal opportunity, and respect for the similarities and differences in our community.

We strive to create an atmosphere where differences are valued and celebrated, knowing institutional diversity fuels the advancement of knowledge, promotes improved patient care and fosters excellence. We will train a culturally aware workforce qualified to meet the needs of the diverse populations we serve. We especially strive to have our community better reflect the broad range of identities in our state, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, national origin, religious practice, and socioeconomic status.

The University of Minnesota Department of Dermatology is committed to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. We stand in solidarity with the University of Minnesota and greater Twin Cities community, and are committed to improving equity in healthcare and diversity and inclusion in Dermatology. We acknowledge that Dermatology is the second least racially/ethnically diverse medical specialty, and we must do our part to change this.

On a department level, we are taking the following actions:

Conceptualize diversity as more than race/ethnicity; it is also sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, socioeconomic status, religion, disability and geography.
Participate in the national equity and anti-racism curriculum consortium through the Association of Professors of Dermatology;
Update all resident lectures to be more inclusive of visual learning aids focused on identifying and treating dermatologic conditions in patients with skin of color;
Require all faculty to complete implicit bias, microaggression and bystander intervention training;
De-emphasize problematic metrics on residency applications such as Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA), USMLE Step 1 scores and MSPE/Deans Letters and integrating new approaches to obtain more objective data, such a situational judgement tests, structured interviews and supplemental application questions;
Create a formal Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) committee consisting of faculty, alumni and current residents that will advise on trainee recruitment and retention, institutional climate issues, research/advocacy and the residency curriculum;
Pursue funding for a Diversity Grant for visiting students from diverse backgrounds and/or with an interest in addressing health disparities to complete an away rotation at UMN;
Continue community outreach at our volunteer clinic at the Phillips Neighborhood Clinic;
Continue to have residents rotate through Hennepin County Medical Center, a public, tertiary-care, safety net hospital that primarily cares for underserved and socioeconomically disadvantaged residents of Hennepin County;
Continue to support our Dermatology Gender Care Clinic, part of the University of Minnesota Comprehensive Gender Care Program, which aims to provide gender-affirming medical and surgical care to transgender and other non-binary or gender diverse patients;
Participate in relevant research studies and scholarly projects, including a current internal research project in conjunction with the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) aimed at better understanding sexual orientation and racial/ethnic diversity in dermatology;
Provide internal and external resources to our current faculty, staff and trainees;
Requesting suggestions and ideas from the public and from students, residents, fellows, staff and faculty. Please submit your suggestions here.

Please take a moment to review these additional resources concerning the University's response to the death of George Floyd: