Hear from Faculty 

Dominique Rodriguez

Department: College of Pharmacy Substance Use Research and Education (SURE) Center

Your experience with diversity and culture at HSC:
At the SURE Center, I have had the opportunity to work with New Mexicans from widely varied ethnic, racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. While conducting research with pregnant women receiving treatment for substance use disorders, I learned that this socially and economically disadvantaged population cared about our research not only to advance clinical knowledge available to treat their newborns, but perhaps equally so for the rare opportunity to tell their stories. The research that we conduct allows underrepresented New Mexicans an opportunity to be heard and reinforces that our community cares deeply about their wellbeing.

Future plans include long-term follow up of children with prenatal exposure to substances commonly misused in our state. There will be opportunities to continue to examine the effects of race, ethnicity, and culture on women’s prenatal health and on children’s developmental outcomes. We also plan to continue our work to increase availability of naloxone through community pharmacies. I am excited to see how we will serve the New Mexico community in the future.

Eric Kruger, PT, DPT, MS PhD

Department: Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Division of Physical Therapy

Your experience with diversity and culture at HSC:
UNM has a legacy of diversity and serving New Mexican community. However, the events related to police reform, racial justice, and health disparities brought into focus by the COVID-19 pandemic, have caused a period of self-reflection and critique. I am proud to be an ally in that process and contribute to change that will create inclusive environments, increase the diversity of our workforce, and better serve New Mexico.

Recently, our physical therapy program has increased the amount of anti-racism content and students have appreciated learning about how racism intersects with health disparities and equity. Over the last ten years the UNMPT program has made significant improvements in our ability to recruit and retain students from diverse backgrounds. Going forward, I see additional opportunities for immediate progress to be made but significant change in other areas may take considerable time. I’d like to think that my contributions in this area will serve both the immediate changes and help sustain momentum for the duration of time necessary.

Krista Salazar

Department: College of Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences

Your experience with diversity and culture at HSC:
My work as a Clinician Educator at UNM College of Pharmacy has offered numerous opportunities to work with diverse groups. This involves co-development of of diabetes care programs at East Central Ministries in the International District in Albuquerque and clinical work at Albuquerque Healthcare for the Homeless with a team of healthcare and counseling professionals. I have also been part of teams providing diabetes trainings and direct patient care in Limbe Haiti. These opportunities have held an important role in my work as faculty in diverse teams, committees, task forces and work groups on campus.

Things are headed toward education that supports true collaborative efforts for therapeutic patient-professional conversations. Developing health care systems that support authentic patient centered care through therapeutic communication between patients and their health care team will involve integrating the patients interests, ideas and expectations alongside the expert knowledge and compassion of each professional serving the patients’ needs/desires. At a foundational level this involves the work of humans helping humans and bringing healing only brought about from the vulnerable strength of humanity. This vulnerable strength involves communication in health care that brings about healing through mutual respect, dignity and understanding.

Heidi Honegger Rogers

Department: College of Nursing

Your experience with diversity and culture at HSC:
I’ve been lucky to have had the opportunity to serve on the CoN DEI committee for the past 4 years. The faculty, staff and students involved with this committee represent all the nooks and crannies of the CoN. It’s an inspired, connected group of folks who are dedicated to centering equity & belonging.

I’ve been so thrilled to partner with students as we explore how we can address the systems that impact health equity. This past year, several of our students formed a study group on the book, Just Medicine by Dayna Bowen Matthew – I’m looking forward to this becoming a regular offering.