Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policies

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policies are guidelines to help students navigate diversity.

Diversity Policy

Scope

Diversity is essential to fulfilling our mission of improving health of individuals living in Austin and Travis County and enhances the experience of medical students, faculty and staff, and patients. Dell Medical School recognizes the value of diversity and is committed to developing and implementing programs to recruit and retain diverse students, trainees (residents/fellows), staff, faculty, and senior administrative staff. Furthermore, Dell Medical School strives to establish a culture in which everyone feels valued and included. The School seeks out and actively recruits qualified students, trainees, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds. In creating a diverse and inclusive environment, Dell Medical School recognizes the importance of one’s race, ethnicity, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, language, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, veteran status, and other traits. Given the sensitive nature of some of these diversity categories, we will report only on those categories tracked as underrepresented in medicine. Defined at DMS as race, ethnicity and gender patterns.

Policy

Dell Medical School aims to increase the number of individuals from groups traditionally underrepresented in medicine among Dell Med students, trainees (residents/fellows), staff, faculty and senior administrative staff. Diversity goals include:

• Developing and implementing programs to enhance the pipeline of individuals from groups traditionally underrepresented in medicine
• Recruiting and retaining diverse medical students, trainees (residents/fellows), staff, faculty, and senior administrative staff
• Creating a supportive learning and work environment (inclusive climate) for diverse medical students, trainees (residents/fellows), staff, faculty, and senior administrative staff
• Preparing our medical students and trainees (residents/fellows) to provide culturally sensitive care to our diverse patient populations
• Engaging Dell Medical School students, trainees (residents/fellows), staff, faculty, and senior administrative staff with Austin’s diverse communities
• Developing and assessing the impact of evidence-based approaches to increase diversity in the healthcare workforce and deliver quality care to diverse patient populations

Dell Medical School commits to proactive recruitment practices for students, trainees (residents/fellows), staff, faculty, and senior administrative staff to enrich the learning/work environment and to promote dialogue, intellectual inquiry, and other activities critical to the School’s success. Dell Medical School selects individuals for admission, appointment, or employment based on the principles of holistic review.  This includes selecting individuals on the basis of individual capability and potential for contribution to our mission of improving health in our community as a model for the nation and redesigning the academic health environment to better serve society.  

Dell Medical School also embraces the commitment of the University of Texas at Austin to create a diverse, equitable, and supportive campus culture through its commitment to fulfilling the spirit of equal opportunity laws and policies as well as building awareness within the University community.

Dell Medical School’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion led by the Assistant Dean for Diversity oversees the development and implementation of policies and programs to:  increase diversity among students, trainees (residents/fellows), staff, faculty and senior administrative staff, and create and sustain an environment that values a variety of perspectives and experiences. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team includes the Assistant Dean for Diversity, the Director of the Pre-Health Professions Program, and dedicated administrative support staff. 

In accordance with this policy and the policies of the University of Texas at Austin, Dell Medical School does not discriminate in admissions, hiring, pay or promotion against students, faculty or staff based on any personal differences. The School’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion actively oversees compliance with this policy, measures and reports on its actual success, and reviews progress regularly to produce a richly diverse, tolerant, and vibrant learning community. Each department in the medical school is required to submit a Dell Medical School Departmental Diversity Report and Action Plan annually to the Assistant Dean for Diversity, the Executive Vice Dean of Academics, and the medical school Dean.  In addition, we will administer a climate survey periodically to further assess the medical school climate. The Dell Medical School Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will use this information to develop strategies for improvement.