In New Mexico, we are fortunate to have an extremely diverse population. At the UNM Health Sciences Center, we strive for campus-wide diversity, equity and inclusion that reflects the communities we serve. This means that our students learn from faculty that understand them and look like them, that our patients have access to providers who come from their background and speak their language, and that our campus is a space where dimensions of difference are celebrated.
In looking back at our legacy, we see the many ways that our early classes of health professionals featured diversity. It was a start, but we still had a long way to go. We still do.
We know we need more representation from communities of color in our ranks. We need to inspire more youth from rural backgrounds to believe there is an affordable and achievable path for them in the health professions. We need to provide more culturally competent curricula and care for our underserved communities. Our DEI initiatives across all of our health professions programs have grown rapidly over the years, but there is more work to be done. We are honored to do this work.
We have made Diversity, Equity & Inclusion a top priority for the Health Sciences Center, and for our highest levels of leadership because we know how much work there is still to do. We must acknowledge where we have made advancements, and honor those who have pioneered this important work. We must also recognize where we have fallen short, and consistently renew our pledge to do more. And, most importantly, we must continue to move forward – together.
We want to thank you for taking time to learn about our culture at the UNM Health Sciences Center, and for showing interest in getting involved as we work towards an environment that truly reflects the communities we serve.
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Valerie Romero-Leggott MD |
Douglas Ziedonis, MD, MPH |
See what others have to say about the culture of diversity, equity and inclusivity on campus at UNM.
