2023 Department of Pediatrics Academic Annual Report

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

County District Judge Vernetta Perkins and Ainka Jackson (Executive Director of the Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth and Reconciliation) community leader Frank Hardy and middle school students in Selma. They met State Senator Billy Beasley and Dr. Deanah Maxwell Stafford (UAB School of Medicine alumna) in Tuskegee and also discussed the origins of medical mistrust by learning more about the Tuskegee Syphilis Study with bioethicist, Dr. Stephen Sodeke and the lesser known contributions Tuskegee University had to the medical field by historian Dr. Dana Chandler. They also met with local health care workers in Camden (Wilcox County) and learned more about Gee’s Bend. Along with the immersive experiences, scholars participated in monthly two-hour didactic sessions on a variety of health equity related topics, including, the impact of environmental racism on health, health disparities in the LGBTQIA community and implicit biases associated with caring for children with medical complexity. Funding to support this program has been provided by the Carlo family.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Education Faculty: Along with regular DIMEs during faculty meetings, faculty education continues with Fourth Friday Lunch and Learn.

Fellows: A 3 year longitudinal DEI curriculum was developed for fellows as a part of the core fellow conference schedule.

Residents: Quarterly health equity noon conferences and monthly health equity morning report sessions have continued for 2023. In addition, residents have had the opportunity of community-based education experiences with a community survey in which they learn more about underserved communities in Birmingham and a visit for all second-year pediatric and combined pediatrics residents to visit the Historic Bethel Baptist Church. Health equity simulation education continues. Topics include food insecurity and caring for transgender patients.

2023 Academic Annual Report

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