Feb. 16, 2022 — In alignment with strategic plan goals for both the University of Florida College of Medicine and the Association of American Medical Colleges, the College of Medicine is joining more than 100 institutions in the U.S. and Canada to take an inventory of its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to create the best possible environment for all students, staff and faculty.

AAMC recently launched a collective action initiative on advancing diversity, equity and inclusion, through which medical schools are participating in its Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Culture, or DICE, inventory.

The inventory is a tool to help institutions conduct a comprehensive review of institutional policies, practices, procedures and programs that impact the climate and culture around DEI and identify strengths and areas for improvement related to DEI in six domains: governance, leadership, and mission; institutional planning and policies; communications and engagement; data and assessment; faculty and staff; and students.

“Our overarching goal is to improve patient outcomes, and a diverse workforce that reflects what our patients look like has been proven to enhance the care we can provide to patients,” said Stephanie Ryan, M.D. ’02, an associate professor of pediatrics and assistant dean for diversity and health equity and LGBTQ liaison in the College of Medicine’s Office for Diversity & Health Equity.

Ryan, who is leading the project’s progress for the UF College of Medicine, will identify key stakeholders to complete the inventory and facilitate discussions during the collaborative effort, to be led by members from across the college and completed between February and May 2022.

“This will be led by staff and faculty throughout the college in many departments, from administration to human resources and finance,” she said. “We’re valuing the opinions of all because a collaborative approach is needed to make meaningful progress.”

Ryan said the goals of the DICE inventory are consistent with those of Dean Colleen Koch, M.D., M.S., M.B.A., and her strategic plan pillars, introduced to the college community during December’s town hall.

“This collaborative project with the AAMC perfectly homes in on our pillar of diversity, inclusion and health care equity,” Koch said. “Participating in this initiative will help the UF College of Medicine improve our organizational climate and ultimately help us better fulfill the role of servant leadership, with the voices of many driving our policies and culture forward.”

Some of the questions asked in the DICE inventory are related to policies that encourage diversity, equity and inclusion during the admissions process, through scholarship opportunities, during board meeting discussions and through external and internal communications.

The inventory will serve as a first step that Ryan said will reveal each institution’s current strengths and opportunities for improvement via a final report created by the AAMC for each institution.

“We will have several actionable items that take place once we receive feedback, including a climate and culture survey,” she said. “We also plan to compare our data with that of the other institutions. From there, we can celebrate what we are doing well and outline plans of action for other opportunities.”

Senior Project Manager Gailine McCaslin can be contacted with any questions about this initiative at gailinemccaslin@ufl.edu.