Dr. Said Ibrahim, an esteemed physician-scientist who investigates why health outcomes vary among demographic groups, has been appointed the inaugural senior associate dean for diversity and inclusion at Weill Cornell Medicine, effective Jan. 2. Dr. Ibrahim will lead the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s efforts to unify diversity initiatives and foster a stronger culture of equity and belonging throughout the institution.
Weill Cornell Medicine’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion is committed to nurturing faculty and students whose varied backgrounds can inspire new perspectives and approaches to improve human health. In his new role, Dr. Ibrahim will work to realize the strategic vision of Dr. Augustine M.K. Choi, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine, who has elevated diversity as an essential pillar of the institution’s mission, along with clinical care, research and education. To accomplish this, the Office For Diversity and Inclusion will promote institutional initiatives to recruit, retain and nurture minority physicians, scientists and trainees who hail from communities that are underrepresented in medicine, as well as women and those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. The office will also strive to support students, faculty and trainees at every stage of their careers, working to cultivate a diverse and inclusive environment in clinic, lab and classroom.
“Diversity is essential for the healthcare workforce, and is a core value of Weill Cornell Medicine,” Dr. Choi said. “Bringing together our academic community’s unique perspectives and abilities not only leads to innovation, but also allows us to provide the best care for a diverse population and the best education for a diverse student body. Dr. Ibrahim is the ideal person to advance this important institutional mission and ensure a rich environment of equality and inclusiveness at Weill Cornell Medicine.”
“This role and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s mission really resonate with me personally,” said Dr. Ibrahim, the inaugural chief of the Division of Healthcare Delivery Science and Innovation in the Department of Healthcare Policy and Research at Weill Cornell Medicine who emigrated from Somalia in the mid-1980s to advance his academic pursuits. “Having grown up in East Africa, I understand first-hand how inequalities in healthcare access can significantly affect people’s lives. Diversity and inclusion—things that people had fought passionately for during the civil rights movement—made it possible for someone like me to attend medical school in the United States. It’s important to me that we maintain and grow that kind of opportunity for everyone.”
For more information on this appointment, please see our Newsroom story: https://news.weill.cornell.edu/news/2018/11/dr-said-ibrahim-named-inaugural-senior-associate-dean-for-diversity-and-inclusion.