April 12, 2021 — It’s a hope shared by each and every UF College of Medicine student, faculty and staff member who participated in the college’s fourth iteration of Celebration of Diversity Week: that every child, no matter their circumstances, identity or environment, can obtain quality health care and can grow up to be whoever they wish to be, even a physician.

Donna Parker, M.D. ’90, associate dean for diversity and health equity at the UF College of Medicine, has led the organization of Celebration of Diversity Week since its inception in 2017. She says this year’s events, which were held virtually from April 5-10, sparked conversations around topics like implicit bias and health care disparities, issues that rest at the core of achieving diversity, equity and inclusion excellence as an academic health care institution.

“What we know is that, especially for Black, Latinx and Native American populations, even when you control for things like income, insurance and education, there are still disparities in patient outcomes. Research shows implicit biases among physicians account for some of these disparities,” Parker said. “Everyone has biases, even me. Since last year, in light of the racial and social unrest surrounding the inequitable treatment of African Americans, more people have had their minds and eyes open and are now willing to listen. We as physicians need to overcome our biases by making ourselves aware of them. We take an oath to provide the best care for patients. That needs to be for all patients.”

The week kicked off April 5 with the Dean’s Grand Rounds, featuring a presentation by David A. Acosta, M.D., who leads the Diversity Policy and Programs unit as chief diversity and inclusion officer for the Association of American Medical Colleges. In his talk, titled “Emerging as Equity-Minded Academic Health Centers: The Third Dimension to Achieve Excellence,” Acosta urged academic institutions to hold themselves responsible for the success of each of their students and to provide additional resources to students based on personal need and systemic shortcomings.

“We are facing a cultural divide in academic medicine, and it is time to cross that divide with a willingness to face our vulnerabilities and expand our thinking to re-imagine what’s possible,” Acosta said. “Focus more on the importance of achieving inclusion excellence in your environment to overcome the challenges and exclusionary practices that inhibit you from achieving diversity.”

On April 6, six medical students who are the first generation of their families to receive bachelor’s degrees participated in a “First Generation in Medicine” panel discussion.

“I grew up in rural Jamaica among a lot of poverty and violence,” said panelist Akeem Bartley, who attended high school in Fort Lauderdale and just matched into a vascular surgery residency at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. “I wanted to break the cycle of poverty I saw, and that was one of my biggest motivators from an early age to pursue higher education. I want my legacy to be one of giving back. I talk a lot about mentorship, education and empowerment of underserved populations, and that’s something I want to do in my career.”

A panel held April 7, “Honoring LGBTQIA+ Health Stories,” aimed to educate future health care providers on the health needs of the LGBTQIA+ community and provided an opportunity for panelists to share their experiences as LGBTQIA+ health care providers. Oliver Grundmann, Ph.D., F.C.P., a clinical associate professor in the UF College of Pharmacy and UF College of Nursing, asked future health care providers to be mindful of their biases and to never enter into a patient interaction with assumptions.

“Health care providers should try to meet patients on their level as they talk about their particular situation,” Grundmann said. “If you make a mistake with someone’s pronouns, there’s nothing wrong with apologizing for your assumption and asking what pronouns they would like you to use. We should humble ourselves and understand we are here to learn and get it right.”

On April 7, UF College of Medicine minority graduate students hosted an interdisciplinary virtual research symposium that included oral and poster presentations. The symposium’s keynote address was given that afternoon by Reuben Brigety II, Ph.D., vice chancellor and president of The University of the South and son of Reuben Brigety, M.D., one of the first African American graduates of the UF College of Medicine. Brigety spoke to students, faculty, staff and alumni, including his father, about the power of courage.

“As you are going through the rigors of your training and asking yourself, ‘Why?’ I would encourage you to draw from the strength of the ancestors who have endured challenges and setbacks over generations that were arguably much harder than whatever you’re facing today,” said Brigety, who showed his favorite T-shirt, reading “I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams” to viewers. “Summon that strength into your present to help you to live a life with consequence. There is a reservoir of power waiting to be tapped and channeled into your part of this destiny and this common task that lies ahead of us as a country to build a level of community.”

Other events during the 2021 Celebration of Diversity Week included the Women’s Celebration of Accomplishments hosted by Women in Medicine and Science, a UF Department of Emergency Medicine panel titled “Diversity in Emergency Medicine & COVID-19” and a keynote address by noted pediatrician and disparities researcher Tina Cheng, M.D., M.P.H., in conjunction with the UF Institute for Child Health Policy-Pediatrics Research Day and UF Department of Pediatrics Grand Rounds.