Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice

The Department of Anesthesiology endeavors to be inclusive, promotes equity and believes in diversity as a means to provide highest quality patient care, develop innovative research and train best physicians for the future. We acknowledge that current educational institutions, patient care delivery systems and professional organizations are racialized and we strive to do our part in changing current structures towards a more equitable future.

  • Diversity to us represent the global makeup of our department and is not a state but an active process we continue to engage into.
  • Equity to us means we commit to making sure we provide all our faculty, residents and staff with personalized resources that will ensure their individual success.
  • Inclusion to us stand for ensuring that our faculty, residents and staff are able to experience their role in our department freely and without obstacles.
  • Belonging is what our department will look like after all of the above are achieved.

We Need Leaders Who Boldly Champion Inclusion

In a landscape where diversity, equality, and inclusion are increasingly prioritized, there is still a lot of progress to be made. June Sarpong's concept of "rockstars of inclusion" resonates deeply, emphasizing the need for bold leaders who challenge norms to foster diverse and inclusive spaces. It's a known fact that DEI boosts profits and creativity, yet 90% of Fortune 500 companies' CEOs are white males. However, the CEO of FX made a pledge to invest in diversification and in a year went from the least diverse network in America, to the most diverse, which serves as a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of committed action in advancing inclusivity.

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DEIJ Initiatives

DEIJ Initiative

Status

Description

Include DEIJ Strategic Initiative into a larger strategic plan of the department

DONE

Develop models to recruit and retain diverse, high talent faculty

Dig deep

DONE

Analyze the departmental structures for diversity, equity and inclusion

Develop SMART DEIJ goals

In process

Develop DEIJ goals which are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based

Follow up 

In process

Follow up on achievement of DEIJ goals

DEIJ Committee

  • Kumar Belani (he/him/his) – Professor
  • Herodotos Ellinas (he/him/his) - Professor, Division Director of Pediatric Anesthesiology, Committee Chair
  • Olakunle Fawole (he/him/his) - Resident
  • Ilana Fromer (she/her/hers) – Assistant Professor
  • Megan Kakela (she/her/hers) - Assistant Professor
  • Larry Lindenbaum (he/him/his) – Assistant Professor
  • Joy Ngobi-Babuwe (she/her/hers) – Assistant Professor
  • Mojca Remskar (she/her/hers) – Professor, Executive Vice Chair
  • Clarence Shannon (he/him/his) – Associate Professor, Associate Dean of Strategy and Innovation
  • Joss Thomas (he/him/his) – Professor, Vice Chair of Education

Book Club/Web Club

Article of the Month

The Supreme Court and the Importance of Diversity in Medicine

Online Resource of the Month

The University of Minnesota Equity and Diversity Certificate Program helps learners develop tools necessary for advancing equity and diversity in all aspects of their personal and professional lives. Program materials represent and reflect on ways we can learn and grow in equity and diversity work.

DEIJ Resources

University Resources

  • University of Minnesota Office for Equity & Diversity
    The university's Office for Equity and Diversity works with colleges, units, and departments to create an inclusive environment where all members of the University of Minnesota community can thrive.
  • Medical School Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
    The Medical School's Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion provides resources for students, trainees, faculty, and staff to foster inclusiveness, promote equity in access to learning, research, care delivery, and celebrate our diversity.
  • UMN Women in Anesthesiology
    The department's Women in Anesthesiology is a community of women dedicated to the empowerment of women through mentorship, personal and professional enrichment, and promotion of work-life balance.

Additional Resources