Later this month, the Office for Health Equity and Inclusion (OHEI) will host the Martin Luther King, Jr. Symposium in the Dow Auditorium. The event is just one of many ways in which the office seeks to promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) across the academic medical center.
Headlines recently caught up with the head of OHEI — David J. Brown, M.D. — to discuss DEI efforts on campus and the challenges and successes Michigan Medicine has experienced when it comes to diversity. Here’s what he had to say:
Q: Can you explain the role that OHEI plays at Michigan Medicine?
DB: When I tell people about our office, I make sure that they understand our vision, which is ultimately to create an environment at Michigan Medicine where people feel valued and can thrive. We do so by acting as a compass when it comes to navigating all things related to diversity, equity and inclusion. We provide faculty, staff and learners with DEI awareness tools, such as educational programming and special events designed to ensure that equity exists across the academic medical center.
Overall, our mission is to foster an environment of respect that honors the uniqueness of all who work, learn and heal at Michigan Medicine.
Q: What are some of the greatest challenges Michigan Medicine faces when it comes to diversity in relation to other progressive industries?
DB: The vastness of our academic medical center poses some communication challenges, which makes our job of effectively reaching everyone difficult at times. Because it is so important for OHEI to provide every member of the Michigan Medicine community with a platform to be heard, we are constantly modifying and improving our modes of communication as we continue to grow.
Read more of this Q&A with Dr. Brown in Michigan Medicine Headlines.