About
Our office was established in 2012 with the appointment of Margarita L. Dubocovich, PhD, far left.
Our office coordinates efforts, implements policies and develops programs to attract, integrate and engage a diverse community of faculty, residents, students, staff and health care professionals.
Our Mission
We aim to:
- promote diversity and inclusion, as well as embrace cultural differences as a means to achieve excellence
- enrich the learning environment
- strengthen the medical school’s ties to our communities
- improve health equity for all
- implement the Jacobs School Diversity Strategic Plan
Our Focus
We work to:
- develop policies and practices to create a welcoming, supportive and inclusive environment for all members of the medical school community and the people we serve
- promote strategies to attract and develop an excellent faculty by expanding departmental collaborations and outreach activities
- enhance professional and career development programs for all members of the clinical and scientific workforce
- inform the biomedical community on topics related to cultural competence, health equity and community engagement
Guiding Principles
Diversity: A core value that embodies inclusiveness, mutual respect and multiple perspectives, and serves as a catalyst for change.
Inclusion: A core element for successfully achieving diversity. Inclusion is achieved by nurturing the climate and culture of the institution through professional development, education, policy and practice.
Health Equity: This is achieved when everyone has the opportunity to attain their full health potential and no one is disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of their social position or other socially determined circumstances.
Sources: Association of American Medical Colleges; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
What Does ‘Underrepresented’ Mean?
Our school uses the term “underrepresented in medicine” and endorses the AAMC recommendation that medical schools shift from a national perspective to a regional or local perspective to define underrepresentation.
Our school defines those underrepresented in medicine to include:
- African Americans
- Hispanic Americans
- Native Americans
- individuals born and raised in rural or economically disadvantaged locales
Our school also recognizes that in certain disciplines, underrepresentation may also impact women, veterans and people with disabilities.