Office of Diversity and Inclusion Programs | Office of Diversity and Inclusion

WCM Annual Diversity Week

Diversity Week was launched in 2018 as part of Dean Augustine Choi’s commitment to strengthening the culture of diversity and inclusion at Weill Cornell Medicine. An array of events take place throughout the week featuring keynote lectures, grand round talks from experts in their fields, health disparity and mentoring in medicine symposiums, paneled events centered around work-life balance, women in science, and LGBT issues in medicine, among others. In addition, winners of the Ritu Banga Healthcare Disparities Research Awards, Pioneers in Diversity Awards, and the Jessica M. and Natan Bibliowicz Award for Excellence in Mentoring Women Faculty are honored.

Diversity Town Halls

The WCM Office of Diversity and Inclusion hosts monthly virtual meetings for members of the WCM community to discuss questions and challenges in advancing our diversity mission and priorities. Our institution’s commitment to social justice and anti-racism extends to all aspects of our mission and, to an even greater extent, to our daily activities. Diversity Town Halls provide opportunity to engage in an ongoing and continuous process of examining how we can move the needle to better confront racism and inequality and to listen and learn from each other.The Office of Diversity and Inclusion Executive Committee is keen to share information, resources and best practices from across the community and network as we collectively foster an atmosphere in which individual characteristics are respected and where both differences and similarities are valued.The recurring monthly meetings are scheduled for every second Wednesday of the month from 4:00pm-5:00pm

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Pioneer in Diversity Awards

Nominations are requested and Awards are made to members of our community who foster and aid in cultivating a diverse community at Weill Cornell Medicine. The criteria for the awards are as follows:

The Ida Sophia Scudder, M.D. Award will be presented to an MD, PhD, MD\PhD, MS, PA medical or graduate student who has made significant contributions in the field of community service and provided care and/or opportunities to the underserved.
The Louis Wade Sullivan, M.D. Award will be presented to a resident or a postdoctoral fellow who has been an outspoken champion for health promotion and a public health advocate, especially for medically underserved populations.
The Bruce Laine Ballard, M.D. Award will be presented to a faculty member who demonstrates commitment to improving student life and to fostering a nurturing and supportive environment where students are able to thrive and succeed.
The Marie Metoyer, M.D. Award will be presented to a current faculty member or alumnus of the Medical College who exemplifies Dr. Metoyer’s highest values of healing and community engagement, and has gone above and beyond to serve underprivileged communities in an unorthodox manner.
The Administrative Staff award will be presented to a staff member who embodies the spirit of cultural diversity and service.

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Ritu Banga Healthcare Disparities Research Awards

The Ritu Banga Healthcare Disparities Research Awards support excellence in research to improve the health of women and underrepresented minorities and/or to reduce health disparities in healthcare systems and in clinical settings, either locally or globally. Research into improving the diversity and gender balance of the biomedical workforce will also be supported, as lack of a representative workforce can be linked to health disparities and we must move the needle and better confront inequality. The awards are designed to further Weill Cornell Medicine’s goal of becoming a national leader in advancing diversity, inclusion, and gender equity within academic medicine.

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Dean’s Diversity Quarterly Seminar

The Dean’s Diversity Quarterly Seminar was established by Dean Augustine M.K. Choi in the Fall of 2018 to connect renowned academic physicians, scientists, and diversity advocates with the WCM community, and to forge a stronger appreciation and path to diversifying medicine. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion hosted quarterly speakers who spanned a range of specialties in medicine and science.

Faculty Research Dinners

Faculty research dinners series is designed to build community amongst faculty and soon to be faculty of diverse backgrounds pursuing careers in research and their allies. The sessions provide a “safe space” to discuss one’s research and ideas while getting honest feedback in a supportive community.

Breaking Bread

Breaking Bread Dinners bring the WCM community together. The program consists of a communal meal and facilitates dialogue touching on topics of difference including race, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic status, and current events. They provide an ongoing safe space to explore beliefs, preconceived notions, worldviews, and ways to understand one another more positively. Lead facilitator and Breaking Bread founder from Cornell Ithaca and former Associate Dean of Students, Dr. Renee Alexander, leads the conversation at the dinners held during the year.

Diversity Center of Excellence Circles - Faculty Development Circles Program

With the goal of strengthening the pipeline of WCM’s talented minority physicians, a mentoring program by the Diversity Center of Excellence (DCE), called the Faculty Development Circles Program (“Circles”), was established in the spring of 2019. The brainchild of Dr. Susana Morales, co-principal investigator of the DCE, the program is led by Dr. Linnie Golightly, DCE Director of Faculty Development.

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Weill-Ithaca Summer Experience in Research (WISER)

The Weill-Ithaca Summer Experience in Research (WISER) is a joint program between Cornell Ithaca and Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM) geared to provide historically underrepresented and/or low-income students who are members of the Cornell University Pre-Professional Programs (P3) with biomedical research guidance and field experience. These populations include but are not limited to students who identify as students of color, low-income, first-generation college students, veterans, non-traditional students and the intersections of these and other identities. Through WISER, pathways are built for students of diverse backgrounds to enter biomedical research careers and ultimately increase diversity in academic medicine and science.

The program provides six students interested in basic science, medicine, or health disparities research with an opportunity to conduct biomedical research with the mentorship of WCM faculty. Selected students participate in the six-week summer paid program on the WCM campus in New York City.

Each student participates in a research project and is imbedded in the research group of their WCM faculty mentor. Students gather weekly to discuss their progress and challenges with their peers and the WCM Associate Dean of Diversity and Inclusion who directs the WISER program. Additional program elements include research and clinical seminars as well as sessions on topics such as medical research ethics, data analysis, how to give a scientific presentation, application processes for MD, PhD and MD-PhD programs, and financial aid. Students also participate in the annual Successful and Productive Academic Research Careers Jr. conference (SPARC Jr.). The conference targets undergraduates, and functions as a networking opportunity for students from all biomedical summer programs at Weill Cornell, Rockefeller University, and Memorial Sloan Kettering. At the end of the WISER program, students give an oral presentation of their research to their peers, research group members, and faculty mentors, and receive a certificate of completion.

This program is only for Cornell University students in the P3 Program. Applicants should have housing in the Greater New York City area and be able to commute to WCM each day for the duration of the program.

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Dr. James Curtis Scholarship - National Medical Fellowships

In 2019, WCM established the Dr. James Curtis Scholarship. As the first Director of the TSR-F, Dr. Curtis left an indelible mark at WCM by helping to solidify the institution’s commitment to diversity in medicine. The program he started celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019. This scholarship presented at the at the National Medical Fellowships’ Champions of Health Awards recognizes the contributions of a graduating medical student who demonstrates outstanding academic scholarship, leadership, and involvement in community service. For more information click here

Black and Latino Men in Medicine

Black and Latino Men in Medicine was founded at the NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center as a network of administrators, physicians, scientists, trainees, and students to raise awareness of the myriad of issues involved in the precipitous decline of Black and Latino men in healthcare, medicine, and science. Through networking, program development, and community engagement, BLMiM seeks to support and provide mentorship for Black and Latino men interested in medicine/science, while advocating for effective and sustainable solutions to combat this national crisis. All members of the Weill-Cornell community are welcome to join BLMiM.

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Tri-I SPARC/Mini-SPARC

The Tri-I Successful and Productive Academic Research Careers (SPARC) Retreats centered on the different themes include facilitated discussions, interactive, reflective workshops and networking. Tri-I SPARC is sponsored by the Weill Cornell Medicine Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Diversity Center of Excellence and Department of Medicine, The Burroughs Wellcome Fund, The Rockefeller University Center for Clinical Translational Science, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Office of Health Equity.

Diversity and Inclusion Annual Reports

The annual reports provides an opportunity to reflect on our concerted efforts to advance diversity and inclusion at WCM and share the strategies and accomplishments that contribute to success across our mission.

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Mastercard Program

The Weill Cornell Medicine Mastercard Pilot Grant Program provides support for junior faculty interested in pursuing careers as physician-scientists or translational scientists. This new program provides funding during the early years of the first faculty position at Weill Cornell Medicine, a crucial period of career development. The Mastercard Pilot Grant Program focuses on faculty from groups that are underrepresented in science and medicine, and who have a promising research project but have not yet garnered a federal career-development grant (the so-called “K award”). Individuals who are Instructors or Assistant Professors at Weill Cornell Medicine are eligible to apply.

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