Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives

Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine aims to serve our community. In order to train residents and faculty to meet their needs and truly understand our patients, we have implemented several Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. 

• In 2014, following the police killing of Michael Brown, our department updated our discussions-based Diversity and Spirituality course to include the impact of racism and bias on overall health and mental health. Topics include racism, poverty and class, religion, spirituality, and gender. 
   
• In 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, we formed a monthly anti-racism committee. We meet to discuss practical solutions to racism encountered by patients, faculty, and residents and have been able to implement policy changes that have benefitted our community. 
   
• Psychiatry faculty leadership and residents are leading and participating in the Boonshoft School of Medicine Diversity Dialogues Program to support a better understanding of our commonalities and differences, examine the nature and impact of societal inequalities, explore ways of working together toward greater equity and justice, and prepare individuals to live, work and lead in a complex, diverse society. This is based on the University of Michigan Dialogues model. 
   
• Journal club now has regular DEI articles on the impact of social determinants of health.
   
• The Boonshoft School of Medicine along with the Department of Psychiatry has sponsored a Visiting Diversity Rotation with a stipend to allow for a fourth-year medical student to rotate with Wright State Psychiatry faculty and residents.
   
• Our department has started a Diversity Dialogues series for the entire psychiatry residency and child and adolescent fellowship in an ongoing expansion of DEI work.