As one of Emory University's nine schools, Emory School of Medicine (ESOM) affirms diversity, equity, inclusion, and equity-mindedness as core values. We are guided by Emory University's Institutional Statement on Diversity, which defines these values as follows:
Diversity
Individual differences (e.g., personality, prior knowledge, and life experiences) and group/social differences (e.g., race/ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, country of origin, and ability as well as cultural, political, religious, or other affiliations).
Equity
The creation of opportunities for historically underserved populations to have equal access to and participate in educational programs that are capable of closing the achievement gaps in student success and completion.
Inclusion
The active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with diversity in the curricula, in the cocurricula, and in communities (intellectual, social, cultural, geographical) with which individuals might connect in ways that increase awareness, content knowledge, cognitive sophistication, and empathic understanding of the complex ways individuals interact within systems and institutions.
Equity-Mindedness
Calls attention to patterns of inequity in outcomes for students, faculty, and staff. Practitioners of equity-mindedness are willing to take personal and institutional responsibility for the success of their students, faculty, and staff, and critically reassess their own practices. It also requires that practitioners are race-conscious and aware of the social and historical context of exclusionary practices in American Higher Education.
These attributes enhance our scholarly, learning, living, and healthcare environments. They also enhance our ability to deliver equitable, compassionate, cross-cultural healthcare, improve community health, and lead efforts to eliminate health inequalities and improve health outcomes in disadvantaged and vulnerable populations. We must train, recruit, and employ a diverse group of faculty, staff, students, and trainees, including members of communities underrepresented in the medical and scientific workforce who reflect and understand the multicultural and international communities that Emory serves.
Our work in this area shall be guided by the following principles. Emory School of Medicine (ESOM) will:
- Partner with the University and engage in continuous, systematic and focused recruitment and retention activities to ensure diverse student, trainee, faculty and staff populations, including enhancement of mentorship and advancement opportunities.
- Design, implement and grow programs and partnerships aimed at broadening diversity among qualified applicants for admission to its degree and training programs.
- Design and implement programs that celebrate the diversity within our community and our successes in promoting diversity.
- Provide institutional resources, including scholarship funds and academic preparation assistance, to enhance success and retention of graduating students and trainees.
- Develop, implement and continuously refine training programs to heighten awareness of and reduce the impact of bias in recruitment, admissions, hiring and promotions processes.
ESOM's Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) in partnership with the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Medical Education is charged with monitoring the school's progress toward achieving diversity across all its activities and programs and advising the Dean of the School of Medicine on how best to promote and enhance diversity, equity, and inclusiveness, including the setting and monitoring of institutional goals in this area. Ongoing assessment will include review of admissions, recruitment and retention data with the Emory University Office of Equity and Inclusion and periodic administration of surveys designed to assess diversity, equity, and inclusiveness across the spectrum of ESOM's programs and activities. To ensure continuous attention to goals in these areas, the Office of Equity and Inclusion will provide the Dean of the School of Medicine with an assessment of progress relative to diversity and inclusiveness-related goals no less than annually.
Last modified: 03/19/2024.