The Department of Anesthesiology is dedicated to inclusion and diversity among our faculty and residents because we understand the importance of looking at patient care and research from multiple perspectives. In 2018, the Department created a committee for diversity and inclusion comprised of resident trainees and faculty members from multiple Anesthesiology subspecialties. The committee’s mission is to develop innovative ways to improve specific diversity and inclusion efforts within our department. As a part of these efforts, department students, residents and faculty members from underrepresented minority groups meet quarterly to discuss experiences and how to navigate the challenges of a career in Anesthesiology.
In 2021, the Department appointed a Vice Chair of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) to oversee the JEDI committee comprised of staff, trainee and faculty team members. Our departmental JEDI mission is to develop and implement community engagement that builds pathways; enhance staff, resident and faculty recruitment and retention that focuses on cultivating a diverse workforce; dissemination/promotion of JEDI scholarly efforts; and continuous education of ourselves and the larger community within and outside of the WF SOM.
To do this, we aim to:
- Create an environment where diversity and inclusion is integrated into every aspect of research, education, citizenship, scholarship, service and clinical activities.
- Create a departmental culture in which diversity and inclusion is valued.
- Develop and implement strategies for increasing recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce for the department.
- Increase awareness of implicit bias in all members of the department while developing strategies to decrease the effects of implicit bias in decision making.
- Equip the department’s workforce with the necessary skills needed to address the health needs of a diverse patient population.
- Continually evaluate and make necessary improvements to achieve the vision for diversity and inclusion in the Department of Anesthesiology.
