Medical School Dean's Lecture Series - Past Lectures
Past Lectures
View a list of our past lectures including information about the presenter, link to watch the lecture, as well as any additional resources provided below.
Jan. 11, 2023: Nice (Alone) Is Not Enough. Thriving, Shining Your Light: Strategies to Achieve Mission Based Inclusive Excellence
Presenter: Ana Núñez, MD, FACP, Vice Dean, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, and Integration Strategist, Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)
About Dr. Núñez: Ana Núñez, MD, FACP, is a Professor of General Internal Medicine and Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the University of Minnesota. She received her Doctorate in Medicine from Hahnemann University and Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Wilkes University. She has fellowships in medical education from Michigan State University and health services research from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). She is nationally recognized as a medical education and health services researcher, having developed novel curricula in the areas of sex and gender medicine, primary care, trauma/violence prevention and cultural competence.
About the presentation: In this session, Dr. Núñez will highlight practical strategies to promote inclusion in our day-to-day work, and attendees will leave knowing how to:
- Delineate the limitations of relational harmony
- Identify their personal relational power/influence and role it has within culture
- Provide tips and strategies to disrupt the default and be intentional in actions
- Develop action steps that promote inclusion
Dec. 14, 2022: Why Mentoring Matters for Developing Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Organizations
Presenter: Audrey J. Murrell, PhD, Professor of Business Administration at University of Pittsburgh.
Dr. Murrell is a Professor of Business Administration with secondary appointments within the Department of Psychology and the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at University of Pittsburgh. In her academic and administrative capacities, she engages in research, teaching and consulting to help organizations better utilize and engage their most important assets– human and social capital. Prior to her current appointments, Dr. Murrell served as the Acting Dean of the University of Pittsburgh’s Honors College, Associate Dean within the College of Business Administration and as the Director of the David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership. She received her BS from Howard University, magna cum laude, and her MS and PhD from the University of Delaware. She is the author of several publications including: “Mentoring Dilemmas: Developmental Relationships within Multicultural Organizations” (with Faye Crosby and Robyn Ely); “Intelligent Mentoring: How IBM Creates Value through People, Knowledge and Relationships” (with Sheila Forte-Trummel and Diana Bing); and “Mentoring Diverse Leaders: Creating Change for People, Processes and Paradigms” (with Stacy Blake-Beard).
About the presentation: In this session, Dr. Murrell and participants will examine evidence-based methods for enhancing the effectiveness of organizational diversity, equity and inclusion with a particular focus on leadership development. Using examples from organization-sponsored leadership development efforts, this interactive discussion will also unpack the unique circumstances of mentoring diverse leaders in scientific fields through the lens of diversity as a key motivator to support knowledge-sharing, community collaboration and innovation.
Nov. 9, 2022: DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION (DEI) INITIATIVES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ORTHOPEDICS & AN OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LABORATORY MEDICINE AND PATHOLOGY COMMITTEE ON DEI
Presentation #1: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives in the Department of Orthopedics
Presenter: Aaron Corfield, DPM, Assistant Professor in the Department of Orthopedics, University of Minnesota Medical School
About Dr. Corfield: Dr. Corfield has implemented DEI work into his professional career since completing his undergraduate studies. Most recently, he has served as a commissioner on the Minneapolis Commission of Civil Rights, a board member of Reclaim, which is a queer and trans aligned mental health organization for the Twin Cities, and he was the inaugural chair of the University of Minnesota Medical School’s DEI Committee. He currently serves as a co-chair of the Department of Orthopedics’ DEI committee.
About the presentation: Dr. Corfield has been implementing DEI initiatives into his professional work throughout his career, and he will lead this discussion on new DEI initiatives within the Department of Orthopedics. As co-chair of the department’s DEI committee, he will share key learnings from implementing these new actions for us to apply across our community.
Presentation #2: An Overview of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology Committee on DEI
Presenter: Deborah E. Powell, MD, Professor, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Dean Emerita, University of Minnesota Medical School
About Dr. Powell: Dr. Powell is a professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology where she has served as the Director of Medical Student Education and currently serves as chair of the department’s DEI committee. Dr. Powell has led our community as Dean of the U of M Medical School from 2002 to 2009, and she is a member of the National Academy of Medicine. In addition to receiving the Association of American Medical College (AAMC) Award for Excellence in Medical Education (formerly the Abraham Flexner Award), Dr. Powel has served as Chair of the AAMC Board, Chair of the AAMC Council of Deans and as a member of the Herbert Nickens Award committee.
About the presentation: Dr. Powell will draw on her experience leading the Medical School as she presents on the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology Committee on DEI’s ongoing projects in addition to sharing plans the committee has for the short- and long-term future.
Watch the presentations here.
View the slides from Dr. Powell's presentation here.
Oct. 11, 2022: Building a Scholastic Community That Supports the Advancement of Underserved Students Into the Careers of Medical and Biomedical Research
Presenter: Ben Clarke, PhD, Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus
About Dr. Clarke: Ben Clarke is a Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus. Dr. Clarke obtained a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Texas Medical Branch in 1986 with subsequent post-doctoral training at the University of Texas MD Anderson Tumor Hospital. He moved to the Department of Biophysics and Physiology at the University of Alabama as an assistant professor. In 1994, Dr. Clarke joined the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus. He is an enrolled member of the Grand Portage Band of Ojibwe and has participated in community and scholarly support for underserved students with an emphasis on providing academic opportunities for Native Americans from local and regional communities. He has served as the faculty advisor for the Duluth Chapter for the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, is a past member of the Minority Advisory Committee for the American Society for Cell Biology, and he currently serves on the Native American/Indigenous Affairs Committee for the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science. Since 1988, Dr. Clarke has served on numerous advisory and review committees for the National Institutes of Health since 1988. In his free time, he enjoys water activities in the Boundary Waters and the Quetico wilderness regions.
About the presentation:
Learn about how the Pathways to Advance Degrees in the Life Sciences (PADLS) was established in 2000 at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus, to provide academic support and professional development for underserved students enrolled at Lake Superior College, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, and the University of Minnesota Duluth. The PADLS program targets students from underserved communities from first generation, low-income, or indigenous families from the Arrowhead region of Minnesota and provides an introduction to careers in biomedical research.
In this special session, we will address these questions as we aim to prepare underserved students for the competitive rigors of medical and graduate school at the University of Minnesota:
- What are some of the historical/current challenges that underserved students face in achieving advanced degrees in medicine and in the biomedical sciences?
- What challenges do these students face that should receive greater attention from the Medical School?
- What is the value of outreach to underserved communities to meet the expectations for a Land Grant Institution?
- What are some critical needs to raise the visibility of the PADLS program and other outreach initiatives in the Medical School to Native communities?
Watch the lecture.
View the slides.
Sept. 14, 2022: Understanding and Responding to Organizational Stress
Presenter: Dr. Sandra L. Bloom is a Board-Certified psychiatrist, graduate of Temple University School of Medicine and currently Associate Professor, Health Management and Policy at the Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University.
For the past thirty years, Dr. Bloom has done pioneering work in the field of traumatic stress studies and is a past President of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Dr. Bloom originated and has written three books about the Sanctuary Model and in 2020 introduced a new, online organizational approach called Creating Presence. Dr. Bloom is currently chairing a national organization, CTIPP – The Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice - whose goal is to advocate for public policies and programs at the federal, state, local and tribal levels that incorporate up-to-date scientific findings regarding the relationship between trauma across the lifespan and many social and health problems. CTIPP was awarded the Distinguished Service Award for 2019 by the American Psychiatric Association.
About the presentation: Is there a crisis in the healthcare workforce? If you work in the system, you may consider that a silly question since there undoubtedly is a crisis: not enough qualified people to do increasingly challenging work; long wait lists to receive service; no time; increasing demands of paperwork; inadequate funding; patients who are struggling physically, emotionally, economically while hoping to get all of that relieved by someone. But what can be done when sources of stress are all around us? In this presentation, Dr. Sandra Bloom will discuss the multiple ways that stress impacts us, not only as individuals but collectively when we work within organizations. She will then suggest some aspects of what we can do – as individuals and collectively – to improve our workplace experiences.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will be able to consider sources of burnout, moral distress and moral injury
- Participants will be able to describe manifestations of organization stress and parallel process
- Participants will learn some simple measures to counteract the impacts of stress
Presentation Resources:
- Watch the lecture.
- View the slides.
- Watch the extended Q&A session.
AUG. 10, 2022: OUR HOUSE: TRUST AND BELONGINGNESS AS KEY INGREDIENTS FOR ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTERS
Presenter: Jill Foster, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Associate Dean of DEI Pipelines, Division Director for Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Dr. Foster has been at the UMN-Twin Cities for two years focusing her efforts on development of pipelines for those who are underrepresented in medicine and COVID-related issues, especially in the area of vaccine hesitancy. Prior to coming to Minnesota, she was at Drexel University College of Medicine as the Director of the Dorothy Mann Center for Pediatric and Adolescent HIV and in medical education, as well as taking an interval five-year detour from academic medicine into an industry sponsored philanthropic public health initiative around bloodborne viral diseases.
About the presentation: Individual need for belonging impacts organizations most when individuals do not feel that they are members of the team. They may feel like imposters, and/or they may not feel connected to the mission. For learners and trainees this is especially important, so Dr. Foster will outline areas of potential concern and solutions to optimize team belongingness and trust.
Watch the lecture.
JULY 13, 2022: GOING FROM ABLE TO UNABLE TO DISABLED: A PHYSICIAN’S PERSPECTIVE OF CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN ACADEMIC MEDICINE
Presenter: Linda Barry, MD, MPH, FACS, Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of the Office of Multicultural & Community Affairs at University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Medicine and Interim Director of UConn Health Disparities Institute
Everyone is one illness or accident away from experiencing a disability that can change their life trajectory. It is a stark contrast that in academic medicine, where treating such patients is the mission, many academic institutions’ policies are often not adept in accommodating those with disabilities in work and learning environments. Dr. Barry will share a personal account of the unexpected, tumultuous journey of becoming a disabled surgeon, issues of intersectionality and challenging the status quo, and she will help identify opportunities for the academic medicine community to be more inclusive through action and policy.
Watch the lecture.
Resources:
JUNE 8, 2022: DEI IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PEDIATRICS AND BUILDING SPACE FOR INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE WITH UPRIME
DEI in the Department of Pediatrics
Presenter: Catherine Bendel, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology; Vice Chair for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Department of Pediatrics
Dr. Bendel will present updates on successful DEI initiatives in the Department of Pediatrics. She will focus on priorities for making DEI everyone’s everyday work, in particular with work done by the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Council. Additionally, she will describe pipeline awards and educational efforts, including Health Equity Rounds.
Building Space for Inclusive Excellence With UPRIME
Presenter: Joseph M. Metzger, PhD, Maurice B. Visscher Endowed Land-Grant Chair in Physiology; Professor and Chair, Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology
Actively promoting unfettered access opportunities for all is an effective and proactive mechanism to ensure attaining the very best in merit-based achievement in academia and beyond. For under-represented groups, significant barriers can and do exist in the unrestricted access to opportunities, and the disparities that result are a driving component of predicting future success for students. Learn how the Undergraduate Physiology Research in Medicine and Education (UPRIME) program engages in a holistic approach focused on building a space for inclusive excellence where students can acquire the tools and resources they need for success.
Resources:
May 11, 2022: Retention and Promotion of Women Faculty in Academic Medicine
Presenter: Rahel Ghebre, M.D., MPH (She/Her) Professor and Co-Vice Chair on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, Associate Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the Masonic Cancer Center, Lead for Global Women’s Health Research in the Center for Global Health and Social Responsibility
Advancing our mission of gender equity is critical to the long-term success of our institution. Today less than 30% of women are ultimately promoted to full professor, an important step toward senior leadership. We will explore the experience of women faculty in the promotion process at our Medical School and discuss ongoing programs to improve retention and promotion of women faculty.
Resources:
April 13, 2022: The Power of Collaboration and Innovation: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion — Where Are We Now? An Update
Presenter: Ana Núñez, MD, FACP, Vice Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the U of M Medical School and Integration Strategist in the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) (she/her/hers)
Hear about some of the amazing work at the Medical School in diversity, equity and inclusion. Dr. Núñez will highlight efforts, accomplishments and opportunities for engagement.
March 9, 2022: Research with Tribal Nations: Exploring Best Practices
Presenters: Karen Diver, Senior Advisor to the President for Native American Affairs, and G.-H. Crystal Ng, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences
Tribal Nations are distinct governments that are responsible for providing for the well-being of their people, culture and lands. Too often in the past, they have been used by researchers without their consent, and had their knowledge, places and peoples exploited. This session explains tribal sovereignty, relationship building and tribally engaged and led best practices in research.
Resources:
Presentation Slides - Research with Tribal Nations: Exploring Best Practices
February 9, 2022: Global Public Health Emergencies & Population Health
Presenter: Dziwe Willard Ntaba, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School and Emergency Physician with M Health Fairview
Drawing from lessons learned in Global Health — both internationally and domestically — how can you act individually to better serve collective interests? How can we as a group adapt and apply lessons from the past to meet the challenges in the present moment? What proven strategies and paradigm shifts must we engage with to ensure durable solutions into the future? This presentation addresses those questions.
Resources:
Presentation Slides: Global Public Health Emergencies & Population Health
Kigutu Hospital & Women’s Health Pavilion Virtual Tour, Fe. 15th, 2022 | 12:00pm
Sign-Up to Learn more/Support Minnesota Opioid Overdose Epidemic
January 12, 2022: Addressing Implicit Bias and Microaggressions
Presenter: Amanda Marie Flowers Peterson, Interim Director of Education & Graduate Assistant for the Office for Equity and Diversity (She/Her/Hers)
This discussion exposes participants to the concept of implicit bias and how it produces microaggressions that can impact the classroom, work and social environments.
For those of who had hoped that our January session could be recorded, we regret that no, that was not an option for us. Below you will find some resources about microaggressions and more.
Responding to your interest and planning for the future, we seek your interest in medical school tailored, practical, action focused future workshops/trainings for the spring/early summer. We plan on having our first session be Putting into Practicing: What is the "Do" in Negotiating Implicit Bias and Microaggressions. If this is of interest, please let us know.
Click here to get added to the early interest list for direct follow up.
Resources:
December 8, 2021: Staff Advancing Diversity & Inclusion: Learning, Growing, & Taking Action
Presenters: Sara Roberts, Program & Project Specialist for Undergraduate Medical Education Curriculum, and Liz Sopdie, PhD, Operations & Program Development Director for the Rural and Metropolitan Physician Associate Program
This presentation introduces the Staff Advancing Diversity and Inclusion (SADI) Committee and focuses on the unique role that staff can play in change efforts as well as highlight the growing demand for DEI efforts focused on staff within our medical school. The presentation includes several ways that staff can get involved with SADI and provide resources curated by SADI for DEI development.
Resources:
Presentation Slides: Staff Advancing Diversity & Inclusion: Learning, Growing, & Taking Action
November 10, 2021: Education is a Critical Determinant of Health
Presenter: Mary J. Owen, MD, Tlingit, director for the Center of American Indian and Minority Health, assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health and president for the Association of American Indian Physicians
This presentation discusses how the educational outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) populations contribute to the significant health disparities faced by AIAN people in Minnesota and the Bemidji region as well as Minnesota programs that are addressing the educational disparities and where more work is needed.
Resources:
Presentation Slides: Education is a Critical Determinant of Health
October 13, 2021: Breast Cancer Champions: Meeting You Where You Live
Presenter: David Haynes, PhD, Assistant Professor with the Institute for Health Informatics
Dr. Haynes created reliable estimates of breast cancer screening rates for Minnesota, which was used to create and direct a culturally appropriate peer-to-peer education program. This presentation shares the impact of the program and lessons learned thus far.
Resources:
Presentation Slides: Breast Cancer Champions: Meeting You Where You Live
September 8, 2021: DEI in the Departments - Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics & Orthopedic Surgery
Presenters: Santiago Martinez Cifuentes, PhD Candidate, Rivera-Mulia Lab, and Stefani Thomas, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
This presentation highlights the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics' ongoing efforts related to community, education, outreach, policy and recruitment.
Presenters: Aaron Corfield, DPM, assistant professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Jon Braman, MD, professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery
Drs. Corfield and Braman discuss the Department of Orthopedic Surgery's DEI Committee initiatives, including how to implement and enact real change within the department.
Resources:
Presentation Slides: DEI within BMBB: Community, Education, Outreach, Policy and Recruitment
Presentation Slides: Department of Orthopedics - DEI Initiatives
August 11, 2021: Building Communities/Repairing Harm: Restorative Practices in Academic Medicine
Presenters: Ricardo Battaglino, PhD, Melissa Brunsvold, MD, FACS, FCCM, Austin Calhoun, PhD, Cathy McCarty, PhD, MPH, Michele Morrissey, MA, PHR, Amanda Termuhlen, MD
Restorative justice, practices and approaches are rooted in Indigenous culture and focus on creating community, building relationships and healing. The use of restorative practices in academic medicine is a valuable way to improve culture, repair harm and reintegrate those members of the community who have been separated.
Resources
July 14, 2021: How the Pandemic(s) Changed my Advocacy, Research, and DEI Work
Presenter: Dr. Cuong Pham is an Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine at the University of Minnesota.
In this presentation Cuong Pham, MD, explains how he and his colleagues have found innovative ways to conduct shared, community engaged research and focus on trainee education through multiple public health crises.
Resources:
June 9, 2021: Toward Justice & Equity in the Departments of Family Medicine & Community Health & Neuroscience
Presenter: Andrea Westby, MD, FAAFP, assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
In this presentation we discuss the grounding principles, current initiatives and future direction of the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health's JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) council and initiatives.
Presenter: Tim Ebner, MD, PhD, professor and head of the Department of Neuroscience
This presentation also highlights the Department of Neuroscience's efforts developing internal and federally funded programs focused on providing opportunities for underrepresented groups in medicine to explore, pursue and build careers in neuroscience.
Resources:
- Response to Unanswered Questions - Family Medicine and Community Health & Neuroscience
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) website
- Organizational Framework - Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) at Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
- Recruitment Toolkit - Reducing Bias and Achieving Equity in Residency Recruitment and Selection
- Relational and Communication Commitments - Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
May 12, 2021: DEI in the Departments - Psychiatry and Surgery
Presenters:
Katie Lingras, PhD, LP, assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Danielle Vrieze, PhD, LP, assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Drs. Danielle Vrieze and Katie Lingras provide an overview of a six-step model for creating a committee as a vehicle for championing Medical School DEI efforts at the department level. They will provide examples of their work with the goal for participants to tailor and apply each step to their own departments’ DEI efforts.
Presenters:
Daniel Saltzman, MD, PhD, professor in the Department of Surgery
Lisa Rogers, MS, MPH, director of Research Operations
This presentation describes the Department of Surgery's DEI Council, provide some groundwork and resources to implement a similar model, and highlight new initiatives and early wins.
Resources:
April 14, 2021: The Purpose of Holistic Review and Strategies for Implementation
Presenter: Dimple Patel, MS Associate Dean of Admissions, Medical School
Dimple Patel shares the principles of holistic review in medical school admissions programs. She will highlight the importance of holistic review, share outcomes and discuss how these same principles can be used in other selection processes.
March 10, 2021: Obstetric Fistula: A Window into Disparities in Women's Health and A Call for Reimagining Global Health Engagements
Presenter: Rahel Mardos, MD, MCR Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health (OBGYN)
Dr. Nardos will discuss the state of maternal health globally using obstetric fistula as a window into the vast inequities in maternal outcomes. She will highlight the structural and social determinants of disparities in maternal health and put forth a call to action for meaningful and impactful engagement. This lecture is part of the International Women's Day webinar series: Gender, COVID-19, and Human Rights highlighting key voices in the field of gender, health, and human rights.
February 10, 2021: Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience in the Era of Big Data
Presenter: Damien Fair, PA-C, PHD Professor, Department of Pediatrics
The field of Cognitive Neuroscience and, in particular, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience continues to evolve. New concepts and new technologies, but also new challenges and new pitfalls have emerged in the field. On one hand, these growing pains have highlighted the promise of the work for understanding complex human brain function and its translational potential; but, on the other hand, it has led to frustratingly slow progress. Current modern-day approaches toward characterizing correspondence of complex behavioral phenotypes to networks and systems in the brain requires new sample collection strategies, new study designs, and new analytic strategies – a reality the field has been slow to realize. In the current talk I will highlight some of the pitfalls of the field, as well as, feature new directions that will put the field on more solid footing moving forward.
January 13, 2021: "From Here to the Future" Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Transformation To Promote Vitality and Excellence. Where Are We Now?
Presenter: Ana Núñez, MD, FACP is a Professor of General Internal Medicine and Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the University of Minnesota
Please join us for a special edition of the Dean’s Special Lecture Series. To kick off the New Year, Vice Dean Núňez will discuss what she’s learned in the first few months of her new position and the priorities that are taking shape as she collaborates with others across the Medical School, M Health Fairview, the University and communities we serve. The session will include a presentation and Q&A.
December 9, 2020: Comprehensive Gender Care
Presenters: The Center for Women in Medicine and Science