Initiatives

Diversity Advisory Council

Created in June 2011, the Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce comprises faculty, administration, staff, and student representatives. The overriding purpose of the Taskforce is to promote and sustain a college-wide (HWCOM) diversity strategic plan that complements our Mission and Values. The Taskforce meets quarterly to foster and promote diversity initiatives and programs throughout HWCOM.

DAC Subcommittees

  • Messaging and Metrics

    Responsibilities

    • Launch and monitor HWCOM climate survey
    • Analyze and present data from ODEICI projects
    • Website analysis and critique
    • Evaluate curriculum for opportunities to integrate relevant information to cultivate culturally competent physicians
    • Create quarterly newsletter
    • Market the Diversity Ally Program and recruit members
  • Attraction and Recruitment

    Responsibilities

    • Help achieve recruiting goals for underrepresented minorities
    • Equal Employment Opportunity reporting
    • Examining and reviewing historical applicant data for underrepresented minorities
    • Identifying tools and resources for recruitment of underrepresented minorities
    • Eliminate hiring bias
    • Targeted university strategies
    • Equity Action Initiative
    • Participate in recruiting events
  • Inclusion and Retention

    Responsibilities

    • Diversity Awareness Month (April) speaker series
    • Diversity and inclusion workshops for faculty, staff, and students
    • Meet and Greets for underrepresented minority students
  • Community Partnerships

    Responsibilities

    • Outreach and strengthen partnerships tied to HWCOM’s mission
    • Community service and volunteerism
    • Promote values of social accountability and cultural competence

Climate Survey

In March 2011, FIU HWCOM launched a bi-annual diversity climate assessment to collect data on the extent to which HWCOM is an inclusive and welcoming environment for all faculty, staff, and students. This assessment provides data to the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Community Initiatives, allowing the office to develop a strategic plan for diversity at the institution. Both quantitative and qualitative measures are used to capture the data and the results of the assessment have allowed a vast amount of transformative effects to take place for the diverse culture of FIU HWCOM.

Diversity Student Liaison Program

The Diversity Student Liaison Program is led by students for students, and is designed to create opportunities and programs for medical students to engage in activities to advance diversity and inclusion at HWCOM. In this role, medical students serve as liaisons to national and local medical student organizations and the medical student council. The liaisons assist in the development and implementation of specific diversity, inclusion, and equity projects. The mission of this program is to endorse medical students who hold a passion to promote the understanding and respect of diversity initiatives not just in healthcare, but in the fundamentals of medical education.

Diversity Student Liaison responsibilities

  • Help build a welcoming, nurturing, diverse and inclusive community of learners and practitioners at FIU HWCOM.
  • Attend and help facilitate a variety of diversity and inclusion programs and events, including Current Conversations, Diversity in Medicine, White Coats 4 Black Lives, and Awareness/Cultural Heritage programming events
  • Provide meaningful supportive relationships with prospective and incoming students.
  • Be a part of the strategic planning of the creation and evaluation of FIU HWCOM diversity initiatives.