Monthly eNews: April 2021
In This Issue
  • Announcements
  • DEI New Position Openings
  • RFC Corner
  • MGH and MGB Events
  • MGH Opportunities, Awards, and Funding
  • HMS Events, Webinars, Awards, and Funding
  • Other Outside Events and Opportunities
  • Congratulations
  • Happenings In Boston
  • In The News
Announcements
Reflecting on Racial Justice
The CDI stands in solidarity with the Black community as we all experience the historic moment this week of the guilty verdict in the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin for killing George Floyd. We are grateful to our MGH and MGB leaders for standing up for what is right and condemning the injustices and acts of violence occurring – and that have occurred - across our country, and hope this verdict brings us closer to justice for all. CDI is proud to help advance racial justice and equity for close to three decades, most recently as part of the leadership team implementing the MGH Structural Equity 10-Point Plan, a critical roadmap to identify, address and eliminate racism in our hospital and beyond, and in coordination with the Mass General Brigham’s United Against Racism initiative.

For many in our CDI community, this has been a very trying year, and this trial and recent events might create additional stress and re-traumatization. We want to remind you that the CDI family is here for you, so please reach out. There are several other MGH and MGB resources and events available to you (additional event details are also listed in our “events” section of this eNews):
 
  • The annual MGH Stand Against Racism is virtual this year! Click here to learn about how you can get involved and include your commitment to "Stand" against racism.
  
  • The Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is offering Recovering Our Breath sessions next Tuesday, April 27, 4-5 p.m. and Thursday, April 29, 10-11 a.m. Learn more and register for a session.
 
 
  • 5th Annual Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Summit: “Understanding and Dismantling Systemic Racism: A Path Forward” next month, which will focus on how our system can actively dismantle racism and how to create antiracism spaces in health care.
 
As Drs. Betancourt, Slavin and Del Carmen stated in their MGH Broadcast message this week, “We strive for a future in which we can live with hope and love, together and toward a greater purpose that is bigger than any one of us and accomplished only with all of us, together, as one MGH, one nation.” 

Our very best,
The CDI Team
MGH Matches a Record Number of UIM Residents
Thanks to everyone’s hard work and collaborations with residency programs, MGH leaders, and the CDI Resident and Fellow Committee (RFC), MGH had a record match of underrepresented in medicine (UIM) residents this year! 

Of 258 applicants matched to 20 MGH and joint residency programs, 26% (n=67) are UIM!!! This is a huge increase from past years; the highest % we had matched before now was 17%. And, 88 % (n=59) of those matched attended a CDI recruitment reception, where they had a chance to meet many of you, learn about CDI and ask questions to our hospital leadership.
 
We will be creating a face sheet of UIMs joining us this year so that the CDI community can welcome them when you see them in the halls, units, and other clinical areas.

Thank you once again for many of your efforts in attending our late-night recruitment receptions and for your support and engagement year-round!
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion New Positions
CDI, the Office for Equity and Community Health, and MGB United Against Racism are excited to share various new position openings to help advance diversity, inclusion, and structural equity across our institutions. For detailed job descriptions and to apply, please click here and enter the job ID # listed below.
Center for Diversity & Inclusion/Initiative 7
  • Student Program Coordinator (ID: : 3150741)
MGB UAR
  • Director for Health Equity Policy (ID: 3146729)
RFC Corner
RFC Financial Education Series
April 29 and May 13
The RFC will be holding a financial educational session to learn more about the new loan program. Learn the basics from experts about Budgeting and Credit management and the resources available to you.
Through this financial literacy series, we hope that attendees will gain the information and skills to implement a life-long plan for financial success. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions of the experts during the sessions. The invitation has been sent out under separate cover.
MGH and MGB Events and Seminars
Participate In MGH's Virtual Stand Against Racism
April is National Minority Health Month, and in recognition of that, the YW Boston Stand Against Racism (“Stand”) campaign presents an opportunity to build community among racial justice advocates, combat isolation as well as dismantle institutional racism. 
 
The MGH Center for Diversity and Inclusion, the Disparities Solutions Center and the Center for Community Health Improvement have co-sponsored Stands at MGH with several other departments since it started at YW Boston in 2012. The 2021 Stand Against Racism campaign inspires individuals within the workplace to take action to eliminate racism. Although it takes individual action to participate, we encourage all departments and work areas at Mass General to participate in the Stand and develop local activities. Learn more about how you can participate in the MGH Stand Against Racism.
Civic Health Conference by MGH Vot-ER
Friday, April 23 and Saturday April 24
Join the Civic Health conference using this link (registration fee has been waived)
For a detailed conference agenda, click here: agenda 
 
Donald Berwick will be the keynote speaker and our closeout will be done by famed voting rights advocate Desmond Meade. 

You’ll see how we’re connecting the dots between health and voting and you’ll hear about: 
  • how clinicians are connecting with their patients around civic engagement given all that’s going on right now in this country around limiting access to the vote
  • the outsized importance of local elections in determining the health of patients
  • the power of community organizing in medicine
Blum Center Programs - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Series April 27 and 29
The Blum Center’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program Series is a special collaboration between the Maxwell & Eleanor Blum Patient and Family Learning Center, Mass General Cancer Center, The Disparities Solutions Center, and Mass General Hospital for Children. In honor of National Minority Health month, these events are free and open to MGH staff, patients, and the general public. No registration needed. Please see below for more details.
What We Learned from COVID-19 About Making Healthcare Systems More Equitable
Tuesday, April 27, 2021
12:00PM - 1:00PM
What is the impact of COVID-19 on communities of color and how have MGH responses aimed at improving health equity? Join Aswita Tan-McGrory, MBA, MSPH, to learn about the many lessons of how the mistrust of the healthcare system among communities of color affected organizations’ ability to mitigate COVID-19, as well as how they have engaged these communities in the distribution of vaccines. In addition, she will discuss the importance of race, ethnicity, and language data collection in managing COVID-19 and addressing disparities, and successful strategies for collaborating with communities.
Talking to Your Child About Differences and Discrimination
Thursday, April 29, 2021
12:00PM - 1:00PM
How do you talk to children about differences in the world? How do you support children who are victims of racism and discrimination? Aisha James, MD, MS, Gracia Kwete, MD, and Carlos Torres, MD, pediatricians and associate directors of Diversity and Equity at MGHfC, share tips on how to bring up these challenging topics to children and become allies in the work of creating an anti-racist society.
Stress Reduction and Resiliency Building
Thursday, April 27, 12-1 pm
Tenth Annual Robert Leffert, MD, Memorial Lecture
Thursday, May 6 @ 5 - 7 pm
Building Conflict Resilience in Polarized Times”
 
Robert C. Bordone, JD
Senior Fellow, Harvard Law School
Founder, Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program
Founder and Principal, The Cambridge Negotiation Institute
 
Facilitated by
Lucas Johnson
Executive Director, Civil Conversations
The On Being Project
 
This event will be presented virtually; details with a link to join will be provided
 
Supported through the generosity of the Schwamm and Leffert families
 
For more information, please contact Jennifer Fitzgerald, jsfitzgerald1@mgh.harvard.edu
5th Annual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit
May 19-20, 2021 @ 8:30 am - 12:00 pm
MGH Opportunities, Awards and Funding
Funding Opportunity for MGH Clinical Departments
Proposal Due: Friday, June 11, 2021
The MGH Executive Committee on Community Health (ECOCH) is requesting proposals seeking to deepen MGH clinical departments’ engagement in the hospital’s community health mission. 
 
For the 2021 applications we are specifically requesting proposals for projects to address disparities in access to care, with an interest in seeing grantees utilize the Health Equity/Access dashboard.
To register for a Zoom demonstration session of the dashboard on Monday, April 26th, 2:30 – 4 PM, click here: https://partners.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkdu-srDIjE9dt1T27isRycyUlkF-69UG3
 
Please direct any questions to Kim Lopez at klopez@partners.org
The Disparities Leadership Program Request for Applications Intent to Apply Deadline: June 25, 2021
The Disparities Solutions Center is now accepting applications for the 2020-2021 Disparities Leadership Program. The Disparities Leadership Program (DLP) is our year-long, hands-on executive education program focused exclusively on helping health care leaders achieve equity in quality. The program is designed to help you translate the latest understanding of disparities into realistic solutions you can adopt within your organization. Through the DLP, we aim to create leaders prepared to meet the challenges of health care transformation by improving quality for populations who experience disparities. The program has three main goals:

  • To equip health care leaders with a rich understanding of the causes of disparities, the vision to implement solutions, and the strategies to transform their organization to deliver high-value health care.

  • To help leaders create strategic plans or projects to advance their work in reducing disparities in a customized way, with practical benefits tailored to every organization.
 
  • To create a professional learning and networking environment for leaders in health care to engage in peer-to-peer learning, crowd sourcing of ideas and strategies for reducing disparities, resource sharing, collaboration, and ongoing support in the form of a national DLP alumni network.

To download a Letter of Intent form and application, click here:
Click here to view the timeline of the application process and DLP year. Read more about the Disparities Leadership Program (DLP) here.
HMS Events, Webinars, Awards and Funding
New England Science Symposium Friday, April 23 and Saturday, April 24, 2021
The 20th Annual New England Science Symposium (NESS) will take place virtually on Friday, April 23, and Saturday, April, 24, 2021.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email Rodolfo Ramos at rodolfo_ramos@hms.harvard.edu
2021 Leadership and Faculty Development Program Conference and Minority Health Policy Annual Meeting
May 4, 5, 6, 7, 2021
Registration Deadline: Monday, April 26, 2021
Better Together Dialogue event featuring Kimberly Narain, MD
Friday, April 30 @ 1 - 2:30 pm
2021 Barbara J. McNeil Faculty Award for Exceptional Service to HMS/HSDM Nominations
Extended Deadline: Friday, May 7, 2021
Requesting Nominations for 2021 Barbara J. McNeil Faculty Award for Exceptional Service to HMS/HSDM
 
Barbara J. McNeil Faculty Award for Exceptional Service to HMS/HSD were established to recognize and celebrate faculty members who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to institutional service at HMS/HSDM. Institutional service is vital to the function of the school, yet it is often done “behind the scenes” and may go unrecognized and unheralded.
 
self-nominations are accepted

Eligibility: HMS and HSDM faculty members with a rank of instructor through professor are eligible for this award. Faculty members who hold decanal positions are not eligible.
 
Faculty contributions to institutional service at HMS and HSDM might include:
  • Serving on HMS/HSDM committees, councils, task forces and panels;
  • Participating in activities related to the recruitment of students and faculty;
  • Volunteering time, service, professional talents or expertise in support of other programs, departments, and offices at HMS/HSDM. 
Other Outside Events and Opportunities
Black Minds Matter. Rise Up
May 13- 14, 2021
Boston Medical Center's Department of Psychiatry is excited to announce the inaugural 2021 Black Minds Matter: RISE UP (Racism, Intersectionality, Spirituality, and Equity in Underserved Populations) Virtual Conference on May 13-14, 2021. This accredited conference brings together academic and community leaders to explore themes of intersectionality, youth mental health, culturally responsive treatment, and advocacy within Black mental health. Continuing education credits will be made available to registered attendees, including physicians, psychologists (including NY PSY), and social workers.
To learn more and register for the conference, visit https://www.bmcriseup.org/. Early bird registration ends on April 22nd.
Science & Poetry Project Cambridge Art Council - Call for Scientists
Congratulations
Fatima Cody Stanford, MD obesity medicine physician scientist in the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, was one of six women in the US inducted as a fellow in the American Medical Women's Association (AMWA). 
Winfred Williams, MD was honored at the 2021 National Kidney Foundation New England. Dr. Williams has a long, foundational track record at MGH in the development of programs to enhance the diversity of the physician workforce there and at Harvard Medical School (HMS). Over the past two decades, he has helped develop critical initiatives to support hospital-wide diversity goals. He is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in health policy addressing disparities in the care of end stage renal disease and organ transplantation.
Happenings In Boston
In The News
Alister Martin MPP/MD 2015 is an emergency doctor who straddles the worlds of medicine, public health, and social justice featured in Harvard Kennedy School publication. Read full article here.
The healing power of language: caring for patients with limited english proficiency and COVID-19 published on Pediatric Research, March 31, 2021 by Emily M. Herzberg, Alejandra Barrero-Castillero & Juan D. Matute. Click here to read the full article.
The New England Journal of Medicine, “Addressing Workforce Diversity — A Quality-Improvement Framework.” Click here to read this publication.
Medicine’s Privileged Gatekeepers: Producing Harmful Ignorance About Racism And Health published in Health Affairs, April 20, 2021. Click here to read the full article.
Center for Diversity and Inclusion
55 Fruit Street, Bulfinch 123
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-724-3832