STUDENT, STAFF, AND FACULTY PROFILES

Interview with Associate Dean for Assessment and
Educational Scholarship, Carrie Chen, MD, PhD

Carrie Chen, MD, PhD

Born and raised in California, Dr. Carrie Chen describes her transition to Washington D.C as a “significant shift.” Having moved to D.C. with a view to highlight positive and self-actualizing experiences for students at Georgetown School of Medicine, she focuses on implementing educational supports and maximizing learning.

At GUSOM, Dr. Chen is the Associate Dean for Assessment and Educational Scholarship and Professor of Pediatrics at GUSOM. She chairs the Subcommittee on Evaluation and Assessment and serves on the Committee on Medical Education, Committee on Medical Student Well-being, and the MedStar Health GME Consortium Graduate Medical Education Committee.

Prior to joining the School of Medicine, she was a faculty member at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), where she was a member of the UCSF Academy of Medical Educators and held the Abraham Rudolph Endowed Chair in Pediatric Education.

For Dr. Chen, the word “diversity” can refer to various types of identities. She explains how different aspects of diversity, including socioeconomic and religious diversity, have come to the fore in the cities she calls home.

“Often in California, we talk about ethnic and racial diversity, particularly in San Francisco, which is a liberal bubble. It was interesting for me to come here, where there is much more diversity around thought.” She adds how in San Francisco, the students aren’t diverse politically because they choose to live in the Bay Area in order to be with those similar to them.

“You get used to it after a while, but it’s not really representative of the United States,” she said.

Recalling one incident from San Francisco she discussed how a colleague of hers took a year to mention that he went to church on Sundays, whereas in Georgetown people are very comfortable with faith and having it be a significant part of their lives.

How about at Georgetown School of Medicine?

According to Dr. Chen, most forget to acknowledge that there exists a culture of medicine. “I don’t mean just the special language and the culture of doctors, but certain behaviors and thoughts tend to reflect the dominant culture,” she said.

One of the goals of the Office of Educational Scholarship is not only to provide ongoing feedback to medical students but also to provide opportunities for individualized formative feedback. The aim is to ensure students have attained the competencies required to provide quality care by the time they graduate. Dr. Chen focuses on advancing equity and inclusion both in GUSOM’s student body and in the larger field of medicine.

“I want students to know they belong. Sometimes the differences may feel larger because of where they come from, but that doesn’t mean they don’t belong. They do belong. And as they join us in medicine, the face of medicine will change.”

Interview with Standardized Patient Educator, Mary Donovan, M.A., M.F.A.

Mary Donovan, M.A., M.F.A.

Mary Donovan serves as the Administrative Director of Standardized Patient Program at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Her role focuses on providing opportunities for students to discover more about the various avenues of medicine ranging from nursing, health administration, medicine, and beyond.

One of the prominent workshops hosted by her office focuses on Interprofessional Education (IPE) Experience. Here, participants engage in interactive programs that help teach physicians and healthcare professionals about health disparities and implicit bias, which can exist in hospital settings.

For the last two years, Donavan has been assisting the Office of Diversity and Inclusion by introducing the ARCHES cohort to Georgetown’s simulation center. At the Simulation Center, the students receive clinical training in advanced diagnostic and treatment skills to prepare them for patient interaction. Speaking about the fellows, she said, “They are the future of medicine and healthcare. Knowing that they are going to be treating and working with patients puts my mind at ease.”

She highlights that it is pivotal for medical students to be able to transition from an 80-year-old patient in one room to a 15-year-old patient in the next room and understand that the two have different senses of the world.

Additionally, Donovan is the founder of the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) and continues to create online degree programs for students. When interviewed for GUMC Culture Spotlights, she discussed, “It takes a village, to be sure, and I learn from that village every day. And we are always modeling – whether we realize it or not – interpersonal behavior for our learners. The opportunity to model bridge-building behavior, such as I can, is a privilege.”

We now present interviews with Georgetown Experimental Medical Studies Program (GEMS) alumni. Eric Nieto and Alynna Wiley speak about their experience with GEMS and the program design to equip disadvantaged students for success in medical education

Interview with M1 GEMS Alumni, Eric Nieto

Eric Nieto

Eric Bobby Nieto is an M1 student and an alumnus of the Georgetown Experimental Medical Studies Program. El Paso native, he received his undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and Masters in biomedical sciences at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, and for two years after graduating, worked for the Breakthrough Collaborative Program in Austin, Texas as an eighth-grade science teacher. In 2019, Nieto completed the GEMS program under the guidance of Dean David Taylor and Dr. Christopher Kaingo.

While at GUSOM, Nieto maintained strong ties with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion under various facets. In summer 2019, he worked as the Resident Assistant for the Dean for Medical Education's Inaugural Academy for Research, Clinical, and Health Equity Scholarship (ARCHES) fellowship and a mentor for the Gateway Exploration Program (GEP).

For Nieto, pipeline programs once acted as a stepping stone towards his own path to pursuing a medical career and now act as a source of motivation. While in high school, the Desert Mountain, the Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) organization guided him towards shadowing opportunities, college prep as a first-generation student and advice for becoming a doctor.

“I cannot imagine getting here where I am today without the help of pipeline programs,” he highlights.

He added, "Students like me do not know what resources to use to get to where we want to be. Pipeline programs like ARCHES, GEP and GEMS do that."

With less than three years to go for the 45th GEMS anniversary, Nieto discussed how the post-baccalaureate preparatory program encouraged him to have an open mind. He recalls how at the start of the year, he was curious and willing to learn but also wanted to stick to his study plan as much as possible. The struggle, he describes, taught him to follow his instructors, as they “Know what is going to help you the most.”

His advice to incoming students is “Always be open to accepting advice, no matter how much it goes against the personal way you do things."

Nieto can now be found attending physiology and biochemistry courses, while he continues to figure out what avenue of surgery specialization awaits him.

Interview with M2 GEMS Alumni, Alynna Wiley:

Alynna Wiley

Alynna Wiley is a second-year medical student at Georgetown School of Medicine. Since graduating from the Gateway Experimental Medical Studies Program (GEMS) in 2017, Wiley has continued to be engaged with issues of equity and justice by becoming a Sexual Assault Peer Educator (SAPE).

In her first year as a SAPE, she participated in an event organized by the Student National Medical Association, of which she is also a member. She played a role in the “Melanin in Medicine: Dissecting Diverse Experiences” workshop, which took place in collaboration with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI). She also focused on organizing the Supporting Survivors campaign and participating in peer dialogue discussions about power dynamics.

For the last two years, Wiley has served as a medical school mentor for the Gateway Explorations Program (GEP) and the Academy For Research, Clinical, and Health Equity Scholarship (ARCHES). Now entering her second year as a medical student and as a SAPE, she continues to participate in ODI activities and embrace all dimensions of diversity.

Wiley attributes both her passion for equity and her personality to her family. Raised by her South Korean grandmother in a traditional Korean household, Wiley discusses how her grandmother’s teachings continue to motivate her in med school.

“She instilled compassion and the drive to always do my best while teaching me how to take into account other people’s circumstances.”

Among her friends, Wiley is known as someone who does not step back from giving those around her the benefit of the doubt. “I think that most people deserve at least two or three chances,” she highlights.
But why GEMS? For Wiley, GEMS is what she describes as “insane.”

“The program works to destabilize how you think and how you work while also thinking about how you face challenges,” she said. However, now looking back, she talks about how her friends kept her accountable not only about her medical studies but also the well aspect.

For incoming GEMS students, all she hopes is that they stick to the process. She said, “believe in it but also believe in yourself just as much because the process isn’t going to work if you’re coming at it without much confidence in yourself.”

Below are two blogs from the Summer Immersion Program students. For the last 4 years, Georgetown School of Medicine has been collaborating with Georgetown School of Continuing Studies in sending 10 DC Public School students to the 1 Week Medical Institute and 3 Week Medical Immersion Programs at GUSOM. Local high school students live and learn on campus, gaining a snapshot of a first-year medical school curriculum while engaging in lab and fieldwork, dissections, patient case studies and simulations.

Sorochi Ewelike, Georgetown Summer Immersion Program

Sorochi Ewelike
From McKinley Technology High School

My name is Sorochi Ewelike, and I am a rising junior at McKinley Technology High School. This summer, I participated in the Georgetown Summer Immersion Program. During this program, you stay in a dorm with people who are from different backgrounds but have similar interests as you. I decided to go into this 1-week program at Georgetown because I wanted this experience of staying away from my parents and learning about things that regular high school students don’t have the opportunity. I came for the friendships that are built during college that I have to opportunity to gain right now, I met friends like Gabrielle, Olivia, Anne-Marie, Maria, who have been the most amazing friends that experienced this with me. In all, the friends that you make in this program will be amazing and could end up being best friends to you.

There were many great things that happened in this program, but my favorite part was the human simulation center and the gross anatomy lab. These two parts of the program were fun because I could actually handle carcasses that would possibly be used for research and to better humans’ understanding of the human body.

My future advice to high school students who want to join is first, choose the medical program, and secondly to always be prepared in the lecture and in the labs because you do want to miss useful information that could impact your experience in either a good way or a bad way. You Choose! Taking notes is the one thing that I didn’t think I would be doing in the class but I found myself writing or more like trying to keep up with the instructor who passes the slides so fast.

These classes are the actual classes that college students have to take and for you to be able to take them is not an everyday thing, so take advantage of this opportunity. My recommendation is to make friends, take notes, and make the most of this opportunity. This program allowed me to see my path to success much clearer now, I am able to confidently say that the medical field is the field that I see myself taking in the future. I see myself as a future Anesthesiologist. I was always in love with law and medicine at the same time and couldn’t decide which course to take and now after being able to take this program for a week, I can proudly say that I think the medical field is where I see myself and not a lawyer anytime soon, but I will still keep it in mind though.

John Yarden Depalubos, Georgetown Summer Immersion Program

John Yarden Depalubos
From Woodrow Wilson High School

My name is John Yarden Depalubos and starting this fall I’ll be a sophomore at Woodrow Wilson High School. I wanted to participate in the Georgetown Summer Immersion Program to learn more about how medicine works, such as how the body responds to different traumas and illness unknown/known.

The study of medicine really fascinates me because of how it’s constantly evolving and helping others achieve their full potential in life. In my personal opinion, the best part of the program, was when we got to see, touch, and ask how they ended up giving their own body for science and the future generations of doctors, nurses, and medical students.

Seeing the cadavers made me think about how important and resourceful a human body is, both dead or alive, for the study of medicine. Being able to teach the students where the organs are located and to get to touch it is an experience which you can only get from a summer camp/program like this. The other hands-on activities such as the rat dissection taught me that any organism that is being used for the study of science needs to be respected.
This summer camp taught me that being a college student is stressful and you need to handle your time wisely. Taking care of yourself is one of the priorities as well as staying up to date with your classes, to be able to do this you will need to be healthy and on time.

My advice to future students is to take care of your health first and stay awake during lectures. It is also important to have fun and never miss the opportunity to make friends from all around different locations. This is an excellent chance to make friends that have a common liking on what kind of career you will be taking on the future and for you to push yourself with them, and HAVE FUN!

Summer Programs 2019

2019 Gateway Exploration Program (GEPS)

This summer marks the fourth year of the Gateway Exploration Program (GEP). Twelve Scholars from high schools including McKinley Technical High School, Coolidge High School, Bell Multicultural High School, Eastern High School, and School Without Walls.

Through the program’s emphasis on 3 Cs -- Confidence, Courage, and Collaboration -- adolescents who come from underserved areas shadow a variety of Georgetown doctors from departments like Family Medicine, Radiology, ENT and many more. We hosted a lunch with Dr. Stephen Mitchell, Dean of GUSOM, where scholars discussed their research topics and career path.

Dean Mitchell discussed his road into medicine and stressed the importance of higher education, having goals, and following one’s dream. Scholars also had the opportunity to collaborate with notable faculty and staff such as Vice Executive President Dr. Healton, General Internal Medicine Nurse Manager Maureen Hannan, and Library Dean McCann.

Every scholar had the opportunity to shadow doctors at MedStar Hospital, including a new shadowing opportunity at the Office of Technology Commercialization in Harris Building. There they learned about the management of Georgetown invention disclosures and patenting procedures. Scholars who shadowed with MedStar departments had the opportunity to meet Georgetown Residents and Medical Students who facilitated the Scholars learning through detailed explanations of different diseases and addressing all questions the scholars had.

The experience strengthened the GEP scholars’ passion to enter into medicine and redefined their definition of doctor/patient interactions. Scholars were also mentored by the 2019 ARCHES Fellows and Georgetown medical students. During mentoring sessions, the Scholars had the opportunity to ask questions about applying to college, preparing for their research presentations, and how to apply to medical school.
The final aspect of the program was research on various health disparities in D.C. topics ranged from maternity healthcare deserts to PTSD rates among women in Washington D.C. On July 29th and 30th Scholars finished presented on their varying topics. Confidently they presented in front of various physicians, medical students, and other GUSOM faculty and staff. Featured below are two of our GEP scholars:

Kai Goodall

Kai Goodall is a 2019 Gateway Exploration Scholar. She is a rising senior at School Without Walls who wants to be a trauma surgeon or psychiatrist. She shadowed Mr. Scott Kellar in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and worked with Dean Cheng for office work. Her research focused on Mental Health Disparities Across Lower Socioeconomic Divisions and highlighted the lack of awareness for mental health in predominantly African American communities.

Erik Miller

Erik Miller is a 2019 Gateway Exploration Scholar. He is a rising senior at Calvin Coolidge High School who wants to take his interest in technology and medicine and become a radiologist. This summer, he shadowed Dr. Amma Maurer and Dr. Angela Levy in the Department of Radiology and worked with Dr. McKinney for office work. His research focused on Bipolar Disorder Among African Americans in Washington D.C.

2019 Academy for Research, Clinical, and Health Equity Scholarship (ARCHES)

The Academy for Research, Clinical, and Health Equity Scholarship (ARCHES) is a six-week fellowship for college students going into Medicine. This year, 10 fellows were selected from the pool of 680 applicants. The selected cohort came from colleges across the nation, including Cornell University, University of Florida, University of Maryland and Howard University.

The 2019 ARCHES fellows were:

Kevin Rios, Williams College: Identification of Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated (HCN) Channel Isoform Specific Regulators. (Dr. Tinatin Brelidze Lab)

Diamond Pinder, University of Rochester: Metformin Suppresses NRASmut/BRAFwt Melanoma in Combination Therapies (Dr. Cynthia Simbulan-Rosenthal Lab)

Sean Nemia, University of Florida: Understanding PCP's Perspectives on LCS among marginal populations at Georgetown MedStar (Dr. Dejana Braithwaite Lab)

Shani Kamberi, University of Maryland, College Park: Interactions of Orthographic and Semantic Information in Typical Readers and those with Brain Damage (Dr. Max Riesenhuber Lab)

Joseph Martinez, Cornell University: Effects of Social Isolation and Constraints on Physiological and Psychosocial Symptoms Experienced by Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Patients. (Dr. Kristi Graves Lab)

Daniella Butler, Grinnell College: Dual and Polytobacco Product Use in Young Adult Populations (Dr. Darren Mays Lab)

Nubi Archer, Oakwood University: Efficacy of Histone Deacetylases Inhibitors in Breast Cancer (Dr. Mira Jung Lab)

Blanca Muños, Western Oregon University: Patterns in Screening for Depression in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (Dr. Michelle Roett Lab)

Jake Kwon, Wesleyan University: Effect of Administering Metformin after Doxorubicin on TNBC Cell Proliferation (Dr. Marc Lippman Lab)

Tyrel Powell, Howard University: Defining the Possible Role of Human Pancreatic Stellate Cells in PDAC Drug Resistance (Dr. Chris Albanese Lab)

ARCHES fellows follow the program philosophy to Build, Bridge and Be Bold. They do this through rigorous research, shadowing and community service in the District of Columbia. The community services this summer included House of Ruth, La Clinica del Pueblo, and community of Hope. Some of the fellows’ research topics discussed the adverse effects of dual and poly-tobacco product use in young adult populations, depression in patients with type 2 diabetes, and the efficacy of histone deacetylases inhibitors in breast cancer. They presented their research and findings on August 8th at 2:30 pm in Proctor Harvey Amphitheater.

Featured below are two of our ARCHES fellows:

Shani Kamberi

Shani Kamberi is a first-generation rising senior at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she majors in neurobiology and physiology on the pre-medical track.

On campus, she serves as a teaching assistant, a resident assistant, and the president of the Student Health Advisory Committee. Outside of academics, Shani is passionate about organ donation and transplantation; she is the author of a Maryland state bill that would include organ donation education in high schools.

Shani hopes to become a transplant surgeon and to continue promoting organ donation research and education in the future. She is excited to work with her peers and faculty at the ARCHES program in order to explore and address more facets of professional medicine and the systemic inequalities that affect medical accessibility along demographic lines.

When she’s not working on school or research, Shani loves to spend time with her family, visit museums, and eat ice cream!

Joseph Martinez

Joseph Martínez is a rising Junior at Cornell University. He is from Yonkers NY and studies Biology and Society with a double major in Nutritional Sciences. He is on a Pre-Med track and hopes to fill the gaps in research regarding health disparities in ethnic and racial minorities with his pursuit for an MD/Ph.D. He believes that everyone should have access to healthcare regardless of their identities.

Joseph is interested in pursuing a Ph.D. to help supplement his research later in life. Outside of his studies, Joseph is the President of the Pre-Medical Minority Mentoring (PreM3) organization on campus. Additionally, he is a part of Cornell Minds Matter, an organization geared towards increasing education and accessibility of mental health services to the Cornell community as well as the broader Ithaca community. Joseph aspires to become a practicing OBGYN with a focus in Oncology.

He is interested in research regarding breast cancer incidence rates in populations of color. Lastly, Joseph spends his free time trying out new products in his hair care routine, watching peculiar documentaries, and going to the gym!

The Dean of Medical Education's Academy for Research, Clinical, and Health Equity Scholarship (ARCHES) Info

The Dean of Medical Education's Academy for Research, Clinical, and Health Equity Scholarship (ARCHES) is a six-week program for ten undergraduate students who are rising juniors and seniors interested in pursuing medical studies.

All students are encouraged to apply, including those from backgrounds underrepresented in the health professions and those who identify as first-generation college students.

This program will engage selected participants in:

Clinical experience
Guided research
Community-Based Learning at Georgetown University
Greater DC community on issues of health equity

GUSOM ARCHES aims to strengthen the research and clinical skills of promising undergraduate students and prepare them for successful matriculation into medical school.

Recent Events in ODI

Launch of Bias Reduction and Improvement Coaching (BRIC)

The Bias Reduction and Improvement Coaching (BRIC) program was created to mitigate the impact of unconscious bias, as this bias affects recruitment, selection, cultivation, promotions and advancement of employees at GUMC.

A train-the-trainer professional development opportunity, the program is offered to a diverse cohort of faculty and staff. Its focus is based on the science and impact of unconscious bias and use of best practices for how to mitigate the effect of bias in our workplace and culture for the benefit of teams and departments across GUMC.

Using evidence-based approaches, these trainings will explore the science and fundamentals of unconscious bias and bias mitigation, and delve into specific ways that departments can identify and address opportunities and challenges. The training topics include identifying and managing unconscious biases in these areas:

Recruiting and hiring

Team dynamics and workplace culture
Career development, mentoring, promotions, and retention and
Learning how to train and educate others about addressing their everyday biases

This summer, 25 coaches who are faculty and staff members from GUMC were recruited for the pilot program. A two-year commitment, these individuals will attend four quarterly workshops over the course of one year and take time during the second year to design and deliver a bias reduction training to their respective department withing GUMC.

These representatives come from various departments and tiers of leadership across GUMC. Additionally, five coach leads were selected within the inaugural cohort to facilitate workshops and will attend an additional Unconscious Bias Learning Lab hosted by Cook Ross, a diversity and inclusive leadership consulting firm.

The BRIC program will officially kick off on September 2019.

For more information and how to apply, click HERE.

Health Equity Forum

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion at the Georgetown University School of Medicine holds Health Equity Forum 3-4 times a semester and serves as a robust discussion space about health and healthcare disparities that exist in our local and national medical landscapes. Speakers are invited to present dynamic "TED" style talks that shed more insightful light onto health equity challenges and innovative/insightful approaches to address these challenges. Lively Q&A follows!

The Health Equity Forum seeks to:

Promote conversation and awareness around health inequalities that exist between populations, particularly among underserved populations, as well as progress made in addressing those health disparities.
Engage local and national health care practitioners and researchers as well as current Georgetown faculty, researchers and alumni of Georgetown SOM on current health care topics and events.
Present interactive talks, panels, and activities that cultivate fellowship, community learning, and reflection across campus.

Below are two Health Equity Forums featured in Spring Semester

Our April Health Equity Forum featured presentations from two of our GEMS students on the following topics on health equity:

Eric Nieto: "Challenges and Solutions to Healthcare for Ex-Offenders"
Adedamola Badewa: "Death with Dignity: Policy and Advocacy for End of Life Treatment"

Panelists discussed the intricacies of incorporating religion in medicine, including how to reconcile faith with your work, understanding power imbalances and religious bias and navigating religious identity while practicing medicine.

This forum's featured panelists included:

Claudia Sotomayor, MD
Aviad Haramati, PhD
Sarah Kureshi, MD, MPH

Humans of Georgetown School of Medicine

This summer, we introduced a new series, named #HumansOfGUSOM. In this series, we interview students and faculty around the School of Medicine and learn more about their personal stories. We had many stories published on our Facebook page which captured the intimate stories of GUSOM affiliates. One picture at a time...

Featured below are two of our most popular stories:

A career in medicine can be tough but for most GUSOM students, one man’s cheer and motivation make it relatively better. This week on #HumansOfGUSOM, ODI spoke to Antonio Celey, who runs the market and coffee shop at the MedDent building, on his experience at the med school and the source of his warmth.

"I started working at The Market of Georgetown School of Medicine in 2007. I come from South East D.C, the so-called ‘ghetto,' a place where you have to be aware of your surroundings.

Leaving that neighborhood and coming to the School of Medicine was a significant change - it’s like going from a place full of people trying to take life to a place where they are sacrificing their own to save others. Here, I meet young students from all over the world, from all sorts of backgrounds: Christian, Muslims, atheists and so on; coming in day in, day out, hungry and tired, trying to study, learn and save lives.

Last year my mother had a big surgery, and my family wanted to put her in a nursing home, but I took on the responsibility of taking care. A while later, I had a stroke, two pinched nerves, and a hip replacement. I was putting so much pressure on myself and taking care of my mother that I didn't notice that I wasn’t taking care of myself anymore. But seeing all these students and faculty around me, putting others before themselves, helped me endure it all.“

- Antonio Celey

"I began in 2014. I was living with my aunt and uncle in Connecticut because I went there to become an EMT before coming to medical school. They had a piano in their house, and I always wanted to learn how to play it, and I had been playing the guitar prior, so I labeled all the keys and started teaching myself all the chords. I'm also a singer. I have been singing in my church choir since I was six and have been doing musicals my entire life. It's just been my true passion outside of academics, and I can't ever let it go.

I come to Proctor Harvey amphitheater very late at night to relax once I'm done studying. There's usually nobody here, and there's perfect acoustics, so I can play as loud and freely as I want. Plus I can mess up as much as I want since there is no crowd."

- Frank Migliarese, Class of 2020

OPPORTUNITIES FOR FACULTY AND STAFF

Dr. Quinn Capers - National Div & Inclusion & Bias Expert Speaks at GUMC

Dr. Quinn Capers, is a national expert on diversity and inclusion and Dean for Admissions, Professor of Medicine at the College of Medicine Program Director of Interventional Cardiology in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, and Vice Dean for Faculty Affairs at the Wexner Medical Center at The Ohio State University.

As you may already be aware, Dr. Capers is a much sought after national expert in diversity, equity and inclusion and has championed cutting edge, innovative efforts and research at The Ohio State to reduce unconscious bias and educate their admissions office and members of their faculty to create more inclusive environments. He is also a trailblazer in creating substantial mentoring opportunities for underrepresented students, faculty and staff. More here.

Tuesday, August 27:

Morning Talk: 8:30-10:00 am: A Lack of Diversity in Medicine: A National Emergency
Proctor Harvey Amphitheater, Welcome by Dr. Nady Golestaneh, President of GWIM, Associate Professor Departments of Ophthalmology, Neurology, Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology, and Director of Research, Department of Ophthalmology

Health Equity Forum: 12-1 pm: The Consequences of Implicit Bias in Healthcare & How to Overcome Them: From Admissions to Patient Care
Proctor Harvey Amphitheater, Welcome by Dr. Lucile Adams Campbell, Sr. Associate Dean for Community Outreach & Engagement at GUSOM, Associate Director of Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Professor of Oncology at Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.
RSVP

Apply to Serve on the 2019-2020 GUSOM Council on Diversity Affairs

Apply here
Applications Due by Friday, August 30, 5 pm. We are seeking up to 4 representatives from the M1 class. A short application and 15 min interview required.

The goal of CODA is to advise my office and design new programs, cultivate insights, engage in dialogue, and build community across GUSOM. Learn more here: https://som.georgetown.edu/diversityandinclusion/coda
Diversity at the Georgetown University School of Medicine encompasses a multitude of dimensions, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, cultural background, class, ability, national origin, and more. Diversity, as we understand it, means that the institution's many constituents are a mosaic of people.

In this rich context, the Council on Diversity Affairs (CODA) will focus on aspects of student campus life and the educational experience with respect to climate for diversity, inclusion, and culture; curricular and service learning program design suggestions; and, recommendations to promote increased recruitment, retention and advancement of students from minority and/or other disadvantaged groups across the Georgetown University School of Medicine.

CODA Priorities This Year:

Visibility: Increase the visibility of diversity and inclusion on campus

Support: Create support for an inclusive environment that bolsters all students. staff, and faculty

Curriculum Development: Assess interest in ideas or projects that integrate diversity and inclusion within the curriculum of medical school student training

Enrichment: Structural ways to enhance diversity and inclusion through orientation, awards ceremonies, programming and other formal and informal structural components across GUSOM.

Select Past Accomplishments:

Launch the Microaggressions in Medicine Poster Campaign and School-wide Student and Faculty Panel

Research and launch new well being initiatives - including the Care for the Caregivers Initiative

Launch of new First Generation Student network on campus

Advance efforts to establish all-gender restrooms in the preclinical building

Coordinate GUSOM participation and support for Lavender Graduation on main campus to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of LGBTQ med students and allies

Support "Melanin in Medicine" a collaboration between GUSOM, Georgetown SNMA, and the Georgetown Office of the President, "Let Freedom Ring Initiative"

Work with the Office of Admissions to provide feedback on student interview day feedback surveys

Apply here

Diversity Dialogues in Med: Become a Peer Dialogue Facilitator

Diversity Dialogues in Medicine is a dynamic peer education and community building program at the Georgetown School of Medicine, through the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. As a PDF/SAPE, you will get trained to facilitate dynamic, intergroup dialogues on campus and learn the tactical tool of the public narrative. To learn more about the program, its requirements, and its benefits to you, please visit: https://som.georgetown.edu/diversityandinclusion/diversitydialogue

The Goals of Diversity Dialogues in Medicine are to:

Engage across differences of perspective and identity in medicine
Foster intergroup community through a diversity of identities (doctors, patients, families, teams of healthcare professionals)
Explore personal experience, societal issues, health care challenges
Provide tools for navigating difference on and off campus

Benefits to you:

Hone and finesse strong facilitation and robust group conversation skills
Develop a set of communication and listening skills that will help you to better serve diverse patient populations
Receive in-depth training around discussing and deepening understanding around diversity and inclusion issues
Learn the skills of public narrative to tell your story of self, us, and now to inspire action and commitment around social issues
Opportunity to build up your CV and portfolio
Up to 10 total community service hours for the year will also be awarded for your dialogue facilitation (as approved by faculty)
Possibly present at National Conferences, including the National Conference on Race and Equity (NCORE)

Time Commitment: Hosting 1-2 hour GUSOM dialogues, with a minimum of 3 talks the entire year. Opportunities to work with faculty and assist with dialogue and interactive exercises in classes will also be presented to all PDFs/SAPEs.

Useful Facilitator Training:

Training is led by diversity consultants, GU-wide university faculty and staff and includes workshops around cross-cultural engagement, intergroup dialogue, active listening and communication skill builders for facilitators. In addition, we will have GUSOM Faculty/Administrator mentors to support each facilitator.

Facilitators will be expected to attend: Full day training on Sunday, October 6 (likely 9:30-3:00). Special speakers events and social activities might also be planned. If you apply and cannot attend October 6, training please email ODI Staff at somdiversityandinclusion@georgetown.edu to make up training.

Application Deadline: Applications are due by Friday, August 30 at 5 pm. After the initial process of submitting the online form, some applicants will be offered a 15-minute phone interview before final selections are made.

Click Here to Apply!

Information Session: "Meet the Current PDFs" in SW107 August 22 at 12pm
If you have any questions, please contact the ODI Coordinator at Ashley Zhou <az487@georgetown.edu>

Apply to be a Sexual Assault Peer Educators (SAPE)

Sexual Assault Peer Educators:

The mission of the Georgetown University School of Medicine Sexual Assault Peer Educators (SAPE) is to engage the Georgetown School of Medicine community in addressing and responding to the issue of sexual misconduct. We aim to empower both survivors and student allies with the tools to seek support and resources on campus, and with the skills to utilize this knowledge and awareness in both personal and professional settings. Through peer-facilitated discussion, training, and education, we create a shared responsibility to be active bystanders, challenging rape culture through creating a “survivor-centric” environment at the School of Medicine.

For more information on SAPE, please explore the official SAPE website here.

Benefits:
As a result of participating, SAPErs will derive the following benefits of this program:

Hone and finesse strong facilitation and robust group conversation skills
Develop a set of communication and listening skills that will help you to better serve diverse patient populations
Receive in-depth training on discussing and deepening understanding around diversity and inclusion issue
Learn the skills of public narrative to tell your story of self, us and now to inspire action and commitment around social issues
Opportunity to build up your CV and portfolio

Typical Responsibilities of Sexual Assault Peer Educators:

Create a shared responsibility to be active bystanders, challenging rape culture by creating a “survivor-centric”
Conduct training and dialogue sessions

Applications due Friday, August 30th, 2019

SafeZone Training

What is a SafeZone? A safe zone or a safe space is a confidential place where all people can bring their authentic selves and feel safe, welcome and included. The LGBTQ Academy SafeZone programs aim to increase the awareness, knowledge, and skills for individuals and address the challenges that exist when one wants to advocate for their LGBTQ+ peers, family members, friends, coworkers and for themselves.

SafeZone 101: Alisha Ghosh from the Office of Student Learning will be conducting introductory sessions about the LGBTQ Community, where will be discussing Gender Expression, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, and LGBTQ Terminology

For more information about scheduling a SafeZone training, contact Alisha Ghosh at ag1853@georgetown.edu.

Good Reads

Should Patients Be Allowed to Choose — or Refuse — Doctors by Race or Gender?: Everyone knows that doctors must not discriminate on the basis of gender, sexuality, race, religion or national origin when they select or treat patients: It’s an obligation they accepted when they entered the health care profession. (That doesn’t mean they have to take all comers; they can turn away patients for various other reasons.) But should patients be able to choose clinicians on the basis of such attributes?
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/06/magazine/should-patients-be-allowed-to-choose-or-refuse-doctors-by-race-or-gender.html

Why Doctors Are Now Recommending 'Fourth Trimester' Checkups at 3 Weeks Postpartum as Opposed to 6 (Featuring GEMS Alumni):“The comprehensive postpartum visit should include a full assessment of physical, social and psychological well-being, including the following domains: mood and emotional well-being; infant care and feeding; sexuality, contraception and birth spacing; sleep and fatigue; physical recovery from birth; chronic disease management and health maintenance.”
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/why-doctors-now-recommending-fourth-180041784.html

The Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Health: Racism is a social determinant of health that has a profound impact on the health status of children, adolescents, emerging adults, and their families. Although progress has been made toward racial equality and equity, the evidence to support the continued negative impact of racism on health and well-being through implicit and explicit biases, institutional structures, and interpersonal relationships is clear. The objective of this policy statement is to provide an evidence-based document focused on the role of racism in child and adolescent development and health outcomes
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/144/2/e20191765.full.pdf

Medical schools are starting to diversify. But they’re learning hard lessons along the way: As medical students graduate this spring, American medical schools are celebrating the achievements of the nation’s newest doctors. They are also celebrating something else: an increase in the number of students from underrepresented populations.
https://www.statnews.com/2019/06/17/medical-schools-diversity-hard-lessons/

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