Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Emory’s Department of Ophthalmology is committed to creating an inclusive and equitable learning and working environment for our staff, trainees, and faculty members. We recognize the value of a diverse team in improving our patient care, our training program, and promoting innovation and scholarship within our department.

Come join us at the Emory Eye Center

Renowned media icon Monica Kaufman Pearson is joined by Emory Eye Center Chair Allen Beck, Zirka Smith, Willette Berry-Thomas, and Ravi Thadhani, MD, MPH Photo: Rodney Williams

Letting diversity encourage us

On Friday, February 9, Emory Eye Center took a break from eyesight to widen our vision.

Leading that journey was Atlanta media icon and community advocate Monica Kaufman Pearson, whose talk, “Letting Diversity Encourage Us” challenged clinicians, residents, staff, and administrators to rethink their approach to workplace diversity.

“Diversity really is a thing of beauty,” Pearson said, referencing the daffodils, cherry blossoms, chirping birds and buzzing insects that flood our senses every spring. “This diversity not only makes a pretty picture but also a peaceful scene. Everything is different, yet everything works in harmony. Diverse, yet dependent.”

Applied to human affairs, she said, this simple concept encounters its biggest obstacle in fear. “There is beauty in nature and also in people, but sometimes it’s hard to see because of fear. We are afraid of new ideas that we think will make us look outdated, or we’re stuck in a rut of ‘That’s the way we always did it.’” ....read more

Open DOOR Program seeks to diversify ophthalmology

Lessens the cost of investigating an ophthalmology residency

The Emory Eye Center's Open DOOR (Diversity and Opportunity in Ophthalmology Rotation) Program is a financially supported, away-rotation program for medical students (MS4's) who are considering pursuing a residency in ophthalmology. It is focused on recruiting medical students who are underrepresented in the field of ophthalmology - particularly those from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds.

One of the obstacles that frequently stops medical students from pursuing a specialty rotation -- money -- has been factored into the program. The Open DOOR offers a $3,000 stipend to defray the expense of locating in Atlanta to pursue an elective rotation in ophthalmololgy at Emory Eye Center.

It's an ambitious goal, but Open DOOR has already made some headway: after successfully completing his Open DOOR internship at Emory Eye Center in 2023, Florida State University School of Medicine graduate Cuneyt Ozkardes decided to join our highly competitive residency program.

Hear what Ozcardes had to say about his Open DOOR experience.

Find out more about (and apply to) the Open DOOR Program

The Emory Eye Center's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)

We aim to prioritize diversity (defined broadly as gender, racial/cultural, age, physical abilities, sexual orientation, religious beliefs) in our recruitment and retention of team members (including faculty, staff, and trainees) and to create a culture that values and celebrates diversity at all levels.
We aim to cultivate an inclusive community and a safe space for our team members and patients, as well as an ongoing commitment to advancing and embracing equity amongst our team members through transparency and open dialogue.
We welcome ALL patients from all backgrounds, and aim to provide equal access to treatment, improve outcomes and eliminate disparities in care.

DEI in ophthalmology: the data

Minority Ophthalmology Mentoring (MOM)

The Emory Eye Center actively supports the Minority Ophthalmology Mentoring program - a partnership between the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology that helps underrepresented in medicine (URiM) students become competitive ophthalmology residency applicants.

Global Ophthalmology Emory Outreach

The Global Ophthalmology program at the Emory Eye Center (GO-E) supports vision health partnerships with health care providers, educators, and advocates around the world. The program sends physicians, fellows, residents, and technicians to partner locations with the goals of providing care, learning from our colleagues in other countries, increasing local capacity for ongoing care, and breaking down barriers to equitable vision care access.

Open DOOR Program

The Open DOOR (Diversity and Opportunity in Ophthalmology Rotation) program is an ophthalmology rotation open to an MS4 who is applying to ophthalmology programs. The program provides an 'away elective' to medical students from groups that are underrepresented in the field of ophthalmology - particularly those from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. Accepted student will receive a $3,000 stipend to offset expenses.

The DEI SEED Summer Internship

The Emory Eye Center's DEI Summer Eye Exerprience in Diversity (SEED) Internship is an eight to ten-week internship designed to introduce undergrads and medical students (between their first and second year) to the challenges and rewards of a career in ophthalmology. We actively recruit candidates from under-represented groups for this opportunity. The selected intern will shadow working ophthalmologists and work alongside researchers from Emory's Research Division.

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