Passover: A Time-Honored Jewish Holiday

Happy Passover

What is Passover? Passover, known as Pesach in Hebrew, is among the most widely celebrated Jewish holidays. It commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt, as recounted in the biblical book of Exodus. Lasting for seven or eight days (depending on tradition), Passover is a time of reflection, remembrance, and celebration. […]

Minority Health Month – Diversity Month

Minority Health Month – Diversity Month - April

April celebrates both Diversity Month and National Minority Health Month, providing an opportunity to recognize and honor the diversity of the world around us while also addressing the disproportionate burden of premature death and illness in racial and ethnic minority groups. Diversity Month acknowledges and embraces the diverse cultures, perspectives, and identities that make up […]

Autism Acceptance – World Autism Awareness Day

Autism Acceptance Month

Autism Acceptance Month takes place in April each year and is a time dedicated to promoting acceptance, understanding, and celebrating the diversity of people on the autism spectrum. The history of Autism Acceptance Month can be traced back to Autism Awareness Month, which was first designated in the 1970s to increase public knowledge about autism. […]

Deaf History Month 2024

Deaf History Month

National Deaf History Month is celebrated March 13th to April 15th each year to commemorate the achievements of people who are deaf and hard of hearing. This timeframe was chosen to signify significant milestones in deaf education history, including: The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) introduced National Deaf History Month in 1997, and since […]

Happy Ramadan

Ramadan Mubarak

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and holds great significance in the Islamic faith. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a period of fasting, prayer, self-reflection, and increased devotion to Allah. Historically, Ramadan commemorates the revelation of the first verses of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad. According to Islamic […]

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month is an annual observance held in March to increase public awareness about developmental disabilities and promote inclusivity, acceptance, and understanding for individuals with these conditions. The month-long campaign aims to educate the public, challenge stereotypes, and highlight the unique abilities and accomplishments of people with developmental disabilities. This year’s National Association of […]

Women’s History Month

Celebrate - Women's History Month - March

March offers us an opportunity to celebrate Women’s History Month This annual event honors women’s achievements and contributions throughout history. The theme for the 2024 Women’s History Month, “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion,” highlights the important role women play in promoting equality and diversity in their respective fields. Women’s History Month originally […]

Ash Wednesday – First Day of Lent

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Christian season of Lent. This day is marked by Mass, where ashes are placed on the foreheads of Christians in the shape of crosses by the priest.  This act symbolizes repentance and a commitment to God. Lent is a season of penance, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, lasting for […]

Happy Lunar New Year 2024

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is indeed a significant and widely celebrated festival in Chinese culture. It is a time for family reunions, cultural festivities, and welcoming a new year with hope and optimism. In 2024, Chinese New Year begins on February 10th and lasts for 15 […]

Black History Month Reflections

Black History Month graphic

During Black History month, we hope you have time to reflect on the many historical sacrifices and important contributions of Black Americans to our American way of life. We do this in the spirit of sharing: Please see below for Black History Month events/activities being held at Washington University and in the St. Louis community. […]

2024 Spring Residents Virtual Showcase Hosts Prospective Applicants

The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) & Office of Diversity Programs along with IDEAS at DOM hosted the 7th annual Residents Virtual Showcase on January 26, 2024. The Showcase hosted over 140 prospective applicants for residency programs across the School of Medicine.  The session included a mixture of interactive sessions and speakers along with opportunities to connect with current […]

Programming and Events for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Commemoration

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 15, 2024) serves as a reminder to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by engaging in acts of service and promoting inclusivity within our communities. It is an opportunity for individuals and organizations to come together, reflect on the progress made, and strive for a more […]

Happy Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is a secular festival observed from December 26th through January 1st as part of a celebration of African American cultural heritage and traditional values.  Historical background and significance The word Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili phrase, “matunda ya kwanza” or first fruits, referring to First fruits or Harvest festivals that are found throughout Africa. […]

Happy Diwali

Happy Diwali

Diwali is one of the most significant and widely celebrated festivals in India and among Hindu communities around the world. Diwali is a festival that celebrates the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. It has deep-rooted religious and cultural significance and is celebrated with enthusiasm and joy, fostering unity […]

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

Native American Heritage Month

Native American Heritage Month is observed during the month of November in celebration and recognition of the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, contributions, and history of Native American and Indigenous peoples in the United States.  The origins of Native American Heritage Month can be traced back to the efforts of various individuals and organizations who […]

MEDA Program Kicks Off Career Seminar Series for 2023-24

The Mentorship to Enhance Diversity in Academia (MEDA) Program in collaboration with the Washington University Black Postdoc Society kicked off their 2023-24 Career Seminar series with a breakfast roundtable discussion on August 29th with visiting speaker Dr. Lourdes Soto de Laurido.  Dr. Soto de Laurido is Acting Dean at the University of Puerto Rico, School […]

High Holidays

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur graphic

September 15th to 17th is Rosh Hashanah, or Jewish New Year. The biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah and it is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days. Rosh Hashanah is also known as the “Days of Renewed Responsibility,” and begins at sunset on day one and ends at nightfall the next. The […]

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month graphic.

The History Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 through October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.  This observation began in 1968 with Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson.  It was expanded […]

Washington University Internal Medicine Residency Program Hosts New Gateway to Residency Program

On Tuesday, August 22nd the Washington University Internal Medicine Residency Program hosted their first Gateway to Residency Program event.  Sixteen selected fourth-year medical students participated in a highly focused workshop that prepared them to submit for the upcoming residency application cycle.  Participants had the opportunity to: A big thank you to the Internal Medicine Residents […]

Women’s Equality Day

Women's Equality Day graphic

Women’s Equality Day is a celebration of the nineteenth amendment to the constitution which gave women the right to vote. This amendment was passed in 1920 and it banned states and the federal government from withholding the right to vote based on sex. This was a historic amendment and a massive victory for the cause […]

Call for Applications – Doris Duke Fund to Retain Clinical Scientists (DDFRCS) & COVID-19 Fund to Retain Clinical Scientists Program (CFRCS) – Deadline October 1, 2023

The Doris Duke Fund to Retain Clinical Scientists Program (DDFRCS) was developed to provide innovative institutional solutions to reduce faculty attrition by assisting junior faculty facing extraprofessional demands. The DDRCS provides broad-based education to raise awareness and implement new interventions, as well as resources and mentoring to support junior faculty facing extraprofessional challenges. Click here for more […]

IDEAS at DOM Hosts Annual Summer Welcome & Networking Social

IDEAS at DOM hosted their Summer Welcome & Networking event for trainees and faculty on Sunday, July 23rd from 6:00-8:00pm.  The event used community-building activities to encourage guests to meet and interact with each other.

American Disabilities Act

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law on July 26, 1990 and was signed by President George H.W. Bush. In his remarks, President George H. W. Bush famously said, “And now I sign legislation which takes a sledgehammer to another wall, one which has for too many generations separated Americans with disabilities from the […]

IDEAS at DOM Welcomes Takisha Jethroe as the New IDEAS at DOM Program Coordinator

IDEAS at DOM welcomes Takisha Jethroe as the new IDEAS at DOM Program Coordinator! Takisha is originally from Louisiana where she completed a BA in English Liberal Arts from Louisiana State University.  She joined Washington University 2 years ago as a Rater in Psychiatry where she successfully recruited expectant moms for the CUDDEL study (Cannabis […]

Dr. Angela Brown and Jill Mantia present at AAMC Conference

On June 13th, Dr. Angela Brown, Vice Chair of Health Equity, and Jill Mantia, Director of IT Special Projects, for the Department of Medicine presented a workshop on “Translating Dashboard Data into Actionable DEI and Faculty Development Strategies” at the AAMC 2023 Group on Diversity and Inclusion (GDI) and Group on Faculty Affairs (GFA) Joint […]

OUTmed returns as Equality sponsor for 2023 St. Louis PrideFest

OUTmed returned as an Equality sponsor of St. Louis PrideFest 2023 held June 24th and 25th in downtown St. Louis. The theme for 2023 Pride St. Louis was Diversity Creates Community. OUTmed coordinated opportunities for WashU Med faculty, trainees, residents, students, staff, and allies to participate throughout the weekend. Volunteers helped to staff a booth offering […]

IDEAS at DOM celebrates graduating residents and fellows

IDEAS at DOM hosted an event at the home of Dr. Angela Brown, Vice Chair for Health Equity, on Sunday, June 4th to celebrate our graduating Internal Medicine residents and fellows.  We also had an opportunity to meet some of our incoming Internal Medicine residents!

Introducing the NEW HEaR Initiative in the Department of Medicine

IDEAS at DOM (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Allyship & Social Justice) is pleased to introduce the HEaR Initiative to the Department of Medicine. The HEaR Initiative (Healing Equity and Reflection) aims to provide a safe space for individuals to process micro-aggressions and community trauma, to reflect on personal biases, to explore allyship, and to engage in […]

Juneteenth 2023

Juneteenth Graphic.

Dear colleagues, On June 19th, we celebrate Juneteenth, the annual commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States following the Civil War. In Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Grander announced the end of the Civil War and that those enslaved were now free. This announcement, however, came two and […]

Pride Month

Pride Parade t-shirt graphic

Pride Month is a time for LGBTQ+ people to uplift and celebrate their freedom to live authentically. The LGBTQ+ community deserves affirmed, safe, supported, joyful, and mentally healthy lives. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in […]

Celebrating Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May marks the annual celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the United States. In 1978 Congress proclaimed the first week of May as “Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week.” Future Presidents continued this annual proclamation until 1992 when Congress and President George H.W. Bush signed a law designating the month of May to celebrate […]

MEDA hosts 2nd Annual Symposium

The Mentorship to Enhance Diversity in Academia (MEDA) program hosted a Mentoring Roundtable session for their 2nd Annual Symposium on May 4th. The mentoring roundtables made up of MEDA mentors and mentees focused on discussions on career development, promotions, personalizing your grad/med school experience, faculty job search, granstmanship, and promoting/supporting DEI in STEM. 

2023 COVID Pandemic Awards (Links to an external site)

The COVID pandemic created tremendous adversity for many individuals, communities, and healthcare systems. Many of our faculty, fellows, residents, and staff were instrumental in helping the Department thrive despite these challenges.

DEI House Staff Council hosted their How Did I Get Here? Speaker Series on April 12th

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion House Staff Council hosted their How Did I Get Here? Speaker Series on Wednesday, April 12th from 6-7:30pm.  This speaker series highlights faculty members from diverse backgrounds and their journeys in academic medicine. Thank you to Thomas A. Odeny, MD, MPH, PhD. Assistant Professor of Medicine from the Division of […]

OUTmed holds Queer Mentoring 2.0 Workshop

On March 29. 2023 OUTmed hosted the Queer Mentoring 2.0 workshop which focused on various aspects of mentorship, how to get the most out of their OUTmentor mentorship groups, and how allies can best mentor LGBTQIA+ professionals.  Special thanks to Dr. Tony Dao (OUTmed director) and Dr. Tom De Fer (Associate Dean for Medical Student Education […]

Call for Applications – Doris Duke Fund to Retain Clinical Scientists (DDFRCS) & COVID-19 Fund to Retain Clinical Scientists Program (CFRCS) – Deadline extended to April 15th

The Doris Duke Fund to Retain Clinical Scientists Program (DDFRCS) was developed to provide innovative institutional solutions to reduce faculty attrition by assisting junior faculty facing extraprofessional demands. The DDRCS provides broad-based education to raise awareness and implement new interventions, as well as resources and mentoring to support junior faculty facing extraprofessional challenges. Click here […]

Happy Ramadan!

By Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion • March 27, 2023 Last week marked the beginning of Ramadan this year. People all over the world, here in St. Louis, and many colleagues and patients will be celebrating and observing Ramadan. As we work towards a culture that values diversity and a community that strives to foster belonging, we […]

2023 AWAM Lead Award (Links to an external site)

AWAM is seeking nominations for a new prestigious DOM award for supporting and promoting women’s career advancement at Washington University School of Medicine – the first annual AWAM Leader in Empowerment and Development (LEAD) Award — to be presented after the upcoming 2nd Annual DOM Women in Medicine and Science Seminar, which will be held on […]

Black History Month Reflections

During Black History month, we hope you have time to reflect on the many historical sacrifices and important contributions of Black Americans to our American way of life. We do this in the spirit of sharing: Please see below for Black History Month events/activities being held at Washington University and in the St. Louis community.  […]

Diversity Residents Virtual Showcase hosts prospective URiM applicants

The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) & Office of Diversity Programs along with IDEAS at DOM hosted the 6th annual Diversity Residents Showcase on January 27, 2023. The Virtual Showcase hosted over 60 prospective URiM applicants for residency programs across the School of Medicine.  The session included a mixture of interactive sessions and […]

Call for Applications – Career Development Award Program in Substance Use and Substance Use Disorder

This K12 program supports clinicians with multi-disciplinary mentored training in the area of substance use and substance use disorder with a focus on genetics. This program provides financial support and benefits that allow scholars to focus on research, supplemented by applicable coursework. The Spring Application Deadline is 5:00pm (CST) on March 1, 2023. For more […]

Call for applications – KL2 Career Development Award

The Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences Clinical Research Training Center (CRTC) is currently seeking applications for the KL2 Career Development Award Program, aimed at incoming or current junior faculty interested in clinical and translational research. This program provides financial support and infrastructure allowing scholars protected time to perform research and engage in formal didactic […]

Call for applications for the Mentored Training Program in Clinical Investigation (MTPCI) & the Master of Science in Clinical Investigation (MSCI)

The Clinical Research Training Center (CRTC) is accepting applications for programsproviding advanced training in Clinical Investigation! Postdocs, Fellows, Faculty, Jr. Faculty,and Instructors are encouraged to apply for the Mentored Training Program in ClinicalInvestigation (MTPCI) and the Master of Science in Clinical Investigation (MSCI). For information on MTPCI, please click here. For information on MSCI, please […]

Call for Applications – TL1 Translational Sciences Postdoctoral Program

The TL1 Translational Sciences Postdoctoral Program is accepting applications throughMarch 1, 2023 for programs providing advanced training in Clinical Investigation. Learn how to successfully integrate and promote evidence-based interventions in new clinical settings. Postdocs and MD Clinical Fellows are encouraged to apply. Click here for more information.

Programming and Events for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Commemoration

January 16-20, 2023 Washington University – School of Medicine Campus: Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (ODEI) – 4th Annual MLK Commemoration Week 2023: Amplifying Voices Through Courageous Storytelling. Please register to attend and encourage your teams and colleagues to do the same! Washington University – Danforth Campus: Saint Louis Community

OUTmed hosts OUTmentor roundtable discussions on October 5th

OUTMed hosted an OUTmentor workshop on the evening of October 5th.  The evening consisted of roundtable discussions regarding LGBTQIA+ people in the work place, how to deal with microaggressions, intersectionality, spousal hires, and being out at work.

MEDA Career Seminar Series kicks off

MEDA kicked off their new Career Seminar Series on September 22nd with speaker Dr. Gabriel Mbalaviele.  Dr. Mbalaviele’s talk was entitled “How I ended up studying inflammasomes”.  Our second seminar followed on October 27th with speaker Dr. Amanda Smith who presented “Be your own champion and embrace the unexpected”.

OUTmed holds Annual Meet & Greet

OUTmed held their annual Meet & Greet on October 19th where the WUSM LGBTQIA+ community and allies networked and celebrated their identities.  Thank you to Dean De Fer for hosting us!

Office of Inclusion and Diversity (OID) – now known as Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Allyship and Social Justice (IDEAS) at Department of Medicine (Links to an external site)

Dear Department of Medicine colleagues, We are excited to announce that the Office of Inclusion and Diversity (OID) will now be known as Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Allyship and Social Justice (IDEAS) at Department of Medicine. This name change is intended to better reflect our core values and encompass all of the ongoing and new efforts […]