The Internal Medicine Medical Community Advocates for Representation, Equity, and Social Justice (MedCARES) Pathway started in 2019 as an improvement group to address implicit bias within our residency program, patient care, and recruitment practices. This group has grown since then and officially became a pathway in 2022. Our current global aim has evolved towards exploring and addressing social inequities as healthcare providers to provide optimal care to our patients, while fostering and supporting diversity and inclusion within the residency program.  Check out more information about MedCARES here. 

Cincinnati LGBTQ+ Resident Association

The Cincinnati LGBTQ+ Resident Association is a joint effort between the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Children’s, and Christ Hospital, and is open to all resident physicians in the Cincinnati area. The organization’s focus is three-fold, including community, mentorship, and advocacy. Programming has included monthly social events for residents, developing opportunities for attending mentorship, partnering with medical student groups, and institutional and legislative advocacy projects.

LGBTQ Care Working Group at our Med-Peds Clinic

In our combined Internal Medicine and Pediatrics primary care clinic, a working group consisting of both residents and faculty members meet monthly to improve the care of our LGBTQ+ patients. To date, projects having included: creating pronoun badges of both patients and staff; developing educational programming on PrEP, gender affirming care, and other LGBTQ+ health topics; grant-funded work to improved transitions from pediatric to adult care for LGBTQ+ patients; acquiring LGBTQ+ affirming children’s books, binders, sex education kits, and affirming office art for clinic; and participation in the 2022 and 2023 Cincinnati Pride parade and festival. 

Opportunities for LGBTQ+ Advocacy

Between UC and CCHMC, there are many options for LGBTQ+ advocacy. Residents have been involved with Cincinnati Pride, the advocacy interest group at CCHMC, the LGBTQ+ Resident Association, and LGBTQ+ Care Working Group.

Our graduate medical education community has formed a multi-specialty group to promote the inclusion of under-represented housestaff at our respective institutions.

The mission of the Minority Housestaff Association is to create opportunities for the advancement of under-represented housestaff through mentorship, networking, professional development and community engagement while promoting an environment of diversity and inclusion across the UC Health System.

The group works to support one another across specialties, create community through various events, and to recruit exceptional prospective applicants. The faculty advisors are Bi Awosika, MD (Assistant Dean of Office of Pathway Innovation & Inclusive Excellence and Assistant Program Director for Internal Medicine) and Courtney Gilliam, MD (Assistant Program Director for Pediatrics). More information can be found on their website and the Minority Housestaff Association Facebook page.

The Office of Pathway Innovation and Inclusive Excellence is committed to increasing the number of qualified underrepresented minority medical students, residents, and faculty at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. More information can be found on their website.

The office hosts a Diversity Second Look Event every year to introduce applicants to our diverse residents, fellows, and faculty, as well as showcase our city and demonstrate the work being done to reduce health disparities in Cincinnati. Information will be sent out to applicants with more details.

In January 2020, UCHealth named Jeanetta Darno, SPHR, as the health system’s first diversity officer. She is a globally recognized thought leader and speaker on diversity and inclusion and brings a strong track record of effecting positive change. In 2015, she received the Ohio Diversity Council Most Powerful and Influential Woman Award. You can meet Ms. Darno here! 

In June 2020, CCHMC named Visael “Bobby” Rodriguez as the vice president of diversity, inclusion and community relations. He has more than 30 years of experience in diversity and inclusion and has a passion to ensure an inclusive and welcoming environment for all employees, patients and communities. You can meet Mr. Rodriguez here! 

We are so grateful to be part of medical systems that value leaders who will work to advance our health systems’ cultures of inclusion and the development of behaviors that embrace diversity and inclusion at all levels. We are so excited to move forward with the leadership of these two great champions for diversity and inclusion!