In 1992, MGH was one of the first academic hospitals to create a center dedicated to building a diverse community of physicians and scientists and fostering a culture of inclusion and respect.
The Center for Diversity and Inclusion has as its mission the promotion of excellence through diversity – prioritizing the recruitment, retention and development of underrepresented minorities. In 2019, to further strengthen and expand on this mission, MGH created the role of Vice President and Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer. Dr. Joseph Betancourt was chosen for this position after a nation widesearch.
Both the COVID-19 pandemic and recent spotlight on grievously injurious or deadly encounters with law enforcement have served as harsh reminders of structural racism but have also strengthened the call to action. In the wake of these challenges, MGH leadership and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion are in the process of creating a Structural Equity 10-Point Plan, a roadmap that focuses on what we as an institution can do to address structural and overt racism within and outside of the MGH. This plan combines feedback from the MGH community with the hospital’s 2017 Diversity Strategic Plan and decades of diversity, equity and inclusion work by CDI and many others.
Residents and Fellows form an integral part of the CDI. The CDI spearheads numerous programs that help create social and career networks among URMs within MGH- including an annual gala, monthly networking events, career development series, alumni reunions, and community outreach efforts.
The MGH Neurology Department Community Health, Diversity and Inclusion (CHDI) Initiatives include a 20+ person diversity committee, quarterly mentorship series, an annual diversity scholar award, an annual diversity celebration and multiple programs to increase access to care for patients. The Child Neurology department also partners with the MGH for Children Diversity and Equity Committee.
This academic year we continue a series of neurology noon conferences focusing on health disparities and how we can address them in the MGH community.
