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Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Community Initiatives

The Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Community Initiatives supports HWCOM’s education, healthcare, service, and research missions by promoting programs and services designed to enhance the diversity of the student body, faculty, and staff. Through its efforts, the Office also promotes cultural competence and greater awareness, understanding, and respect for our cultural similarities and differences. To achieve HWCOM’s mission, the Office has established the following goals:

  • Enhance the diversity of the faculty, staff, and student body
  • Create and evaluate diversity initiatives
  • Develop educational and training sessions for faculty, staff, and students to ensure cultural competency
  • Engage the community to increase diversity in the health care profession

Diversity Statement

Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine considers diversity an integral part of the entire academic enterprise. Blending of different life and cultural experiences is of prime importance in the selection of faculty and staff and in the selection of medical students and the education of future physicians. HWCOM seeks to foster a broad and diverse community of faculty, staff, and students to enrich the educational environment and expand the knowledge base for our students. This statement is consistent with the diversity policy of Florida International University The value of this diversity emphasis for HWCOM educational programs and staffing will be realized by the production of culturally competent physicians who can serve South Florida's diverse population.

Why Diversity Matters

Diversity enhances the educational environment and enriches the experience of medical students, faculty, staff, and patients. Here at HWCOM, we aim to create a culture in which everyone feels valued and included. This culture of inclusion fully appreciates differences in perspective, not only in composition, but of thought, expression, desires, and goals. HWCOM values all dimensions of diversity among medical students, faculty, and staff, including but not limited to age, race/ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical ability, and geographic diversity.