The University of Florida is a large, multicultural academic community that is strongly committed to fostering an environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Through awareness, education, scholarship and advocacy, we are able to equip and empower members of the Gator Nation to serve as agents of positive change in the global community. Within the Department of Pediatrics at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital and our affiliated clinics, we care for patients from a broad range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds from Gainesville, Alachua County, and the state of Florida at large.
Similar to other individuals and institutions across the nation, we have been disheartened and distressed by the loss of life of members of our Black and Asian communities that have increased over the past few years. We stand in solidarity with these groups and have used these events to serve as a necessary catalyst to examine our practices, curriculum, and culture. Read more about our response. Additionally, the Department of Pediatrics has created forums to discuss the lived experience of those underrepresented in our Department and see this as a first step to increasing everyone’s knowledge and promoting meaningful change. You may find recordings of theses presentations on our Grand Rounds page.
As one of the nation’s leading children’s hospitals, it is our responsibility to provide excellent care to each patient at our institution regardless of race, cultural background, religion, gender, sexual orientation or other identifying factor. We understand that systemic inequalities greatly impact the patients and families that we care for. To foster our mission, the University of Florida is actively putting resources into strong leadership as well as innovative programming around recruitment, retention, clinical care, education and research to ensure that we are employing and training a diverse group of faculty and residents to provide care in culturally sensitive and effective settings while delivering evidence-based care of the highest quality for all patients.
2021 | UF College of Medicine
AΩA Award for Excellence in Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in Medical Education and Patient Care
This award recognizes medical schools (and their associated AΩA Chapter) that demonstrate exemplary leadership, innovation, and engagement in fostering an inclusive culture that transforms the ideals of inclusion, diversity, and equity into successful programs that support medical student, house staff, and faculty diversity in service to the community.
Leadership
Chief Diversity Officer
Dr. Marsha McGriff
Chief Diversity Officer and Senior Advisor to the President
Dr. Marsha McGriff has more than two decades of experience in developing and leading strategic efforts to support diversity and inclusion in higher education. She has served since 2019 as associate vice president for inclusive excellence at Ball State University, in Muncie, IN, where she has led the campus in creating its first inclusive excellence strategic plan. Prior to her arrival at Ball State, she was director of the Hudson & Holland Scholars program in the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN from 2012-2019. She previously served as director of student services and admissions at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University and as director of the Nina Mason Pulliam Legacy Scholars Program at Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis (IUPUI).
Office for Health Care Excellence, Community and Belonging
Within the UF College of Medicine, the Office for Health Care Excellence, Community and Belonging provides leadership, support and education around minority affairs and inclusion. Their efforts include sponsorship of successful pipeline programs and a minority mentoring program. The office is led by Dr. Donna Parker, Associate Dean of Health Care Excellence, Community and Belonging and an alumna of the UF Pediatrics Residency program. Dr. Parker works in pediatric primary care as well as precepts in the resident continuity clinic. Dr. Stephanie Ryan serves as the Assistant Dean for Health Care Excellence, Community and Belonging and has expertise in LGBTQ health and works with numerous LGBTQ youth and their families in pediatric primary care. Drs. Parker and Ryan and the rest of their staff have been mentors to countless students and residents.
Dr. Sherise Rogers has been named as the new Community and Belonging Officer for Graduate Medical Education (GME). GME has created an Underrepresented in Medicine Housestaff Advocate Program which is designed to allow medical students from underrepresented backgrounds to easily reach out and connect with UiM residents as they are starting clerkships.
Partner Organizations
- Women in Medicine and Science (WIMS)
- Housestaff Council – Including the Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion
Recruitment of Faculty and Residents
The University of Florida is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse group of faculty to provide the best educational experience possible for its learners and to ensure culturally competent care for each and every patient. While we have not fully realized our goals, we are committed to continued progress and transparency as we further our efforts.
Within the UF Pediatric Residency Program, we consistently strive to recruit residents who reflect the diversity of the patients we serve. Thanks to a welcoming and inclusive environment within the university community and the greater city of Gainesville, our current complement of residents approaches that goal.
Clinical Care
While we strive to provide culturally sensitive care regardless of clinic location or setting, we recognize the inherent value of structured clinical care opportunities for specific populations with unique needs. The following are just a couple of examples.
UF Mobile Outreach Clinic
The Mobile Outreach Clinic is a flexible means of delivering health care to the medically underserved in low income neighborhoods and rural areas in and around Alachua County. The mobile clinic is housed in a large bus which includes two exam rooms, a lab and a waiting area. The clinic operates five days per week, and currently, one day each week is dedicated to serving pediatric patients. Pediatrics residents have found this clinic setting an excellent arena for worthwhile advocacy projects and clinical care.
Education
Residents in our program receive targeted education on issues surrounding culturally effective care as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout their time here. This instruction comes through experiential learning by caring for a diverse patient population as well as didactic education provided by experienced clinicians and faculty.
We are in the process of examining and revising all of our current curricula using the following framework:
We know that we are all learning as we proceed, and we will make mistakes; however, we commit daily to do our best to contribute to change.
We have also established a Visiting Medical Student Scholarship Program for students from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine.
Research
The UF Health Disparities Research and Intervention Program is a collaboration with the College Liberal Arts and Sciences housed within the College of Medicine. Its mission is to eliminate health disparities by promoting health and well-being among racial/ethnic minorities, the poor and the underserved by focusing on health problems that disproportionately impact these groups. One such health problem that is currently receiving the program’s focus is obesity. Through innovative research and community partnerships, the program is seeking to find evidence-based interventions to address this growing epidemic.