Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the UC Emergency Medicine Residency
Mission Statement
Founded over 50 years ago with the motto “Leadership, Excellence & Opportunity”, the University of Cincinnati Emergency Medicine Program along with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee are committed to the recruitment, retention and advancement of individuals who identify as underrepresented in medicine (URiM).
our Commitment
We believe that lived experiences outweigh numerical test scores, that a commitment to serving the underserved is as powerful as any leadership title, and that well-rounded applicants make incredible emergency medicine physicians. This is why we commit to holistically reviewing every URiM application we receive and believe in transparency about the process.
Our Goals
To promote and celebrate diversity of all forms including gender, race, national origin, sexual identity, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, religion, culture, disability, spirituality, and other lived experiences
To actively recruit residents and faculty who are underrepresented in medicine (URiM) and passionate about serving our patient population
To provide a safe and supportive environment for the successful recruitment, retention, and advancement of individuals identifying as underrepresented in medicine
To eliminate disparities in treatment and outcomes through resident education and research
To promote equal access to quality healthcare
Cincinnati Demographics
Opportunities to Get Involved
Minority Housestaff Association
The mission of the Cincinnati MHA is: “To create opportunities for the advancement of underrepresented Housestaff through mentorship, networking, professional development, and community engagement while promoting an environment of diversity and inclusion across Cincinnati Health Systems. Check out their website and/or Facebook page for more info.
UC College of Medicine Office of Pathway Innovation and Inclusive Excellence
The Office of Pathway Innovation and Inclusive Excellence is committed to increasing the number of qualified underrepresented minority medical students, residents, and faculty at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Check out their website, Facebook, and/or Twitter for more info.
UC EM Diversity Committee
Resident initiated and led, and Department supported, the UCEM Residency DEI Committee aims to celebrate and increase the diversity of our program and is lad by Dr. Diana Rodriguez and Dr. Jazmyn Shaw. Faculty mentors are Dr. Eddie Irankunda and Dr. Erin McDonough. Click on their names to read more about their background or click their names above to reach out via email.
+ Diana Rodriguez, MD PGY-3
I am originally from Miami, FL where I was born and raised by a loving Cuban family. I later went to medical school in Chicago, Illinois where I finally experienced true winter!
With my time off, I enjoy going on walks along eden park with my golden doodle, trying new restaurants and attending whatever free event cinci has to offer!
We know patient outcomes, satisfaction and access to high quality healthcare are improved by a diverse health care force. As a Latinx provider, I hope to further bridge the gap by recruiting diverse applicants and faculty but also strengthening our current providers knowledge on diversity informed care.
+ Jazmyn Shaw, MD PGY-4
I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona before relocating to Jackson, Mississippi in 2010 where I spent the majority of my life prior to coming to Cincinnati.
My favorite thing to do is anything that includes spending time with my husband Aaron and my children Aubri and AJ.
My interests in DEI include recruitment and retention of diverse residents and faculty in emergency medicine. This is our mission here at Cincinnati and is important because our workforce needs to represent the population that we serve. All residents are equipped with exceptional training, and I feel strongly that URiM's should also be privy to such training as they impact this community.
Faculty Mentorship
+ Eddie Irankunda, MD
I was born in Rwanda and spent most of my childhood in Zimbabwe before moving to the United States when I was twelve and spent the rest of my time in Indiana prior to moving to Cincinnati for residency.
I love to spend time with my family outside at parks or playgrounds and at different sporting venues here in the city. If I am not in the hospital or at home, you will find me in the gym.
We have an amazing, diverse patient population here in Cincinnati who deserve to have a provider pool that represents them and that is something that I have been told countless times by my patients and so I want to help make that happen because we know that health outcomes are positively affected by this.
+ Erin McDonough, MD
I was born and bred in Cincinnati, moved to Chicago for medical school with no intention of coming back to Cincy, but then Cincy EM drew me back! It has been amazing to see how much Cincy has changed (for the better) since I was a kid.
My ideal day off: I sleep in, have some brunch, go hiking with my husband (and sometimes dog if it is a shorter hike...she has short legs), and then make dinner together, either sitting out on our screened-in porch (summer) or in front of the fire (winter).
The DEI mission is important to me for a number of reasons. First, we are fortunate to serve a diverse patient population and we need our providers to better reflect the diversity of that population. Second, I have already seen how the DEI mission enriches the culture of our residency program and Department. Our Residency Program has traditionally struggled in this area, but we have made some great strides in recent years and I have seen firsthand how patients, residents, and faculty have benefited from prioritizing this mission. For instance, I have seen faculty and residents aim to use more inclusive slides in Grand Rounds, I have seen how a Black resident is able to engender trust in a Black patient when the patient declined lifesaving interventions, I have seen male faculty apologize to female faculty for interrupting during a meeting, just to name a few examples. There is still work to be done in buiding our DEI culture and we are looking for residents who want to play an active role in helping us to continue to push the DEI mission forward.
+ Liz Leenellett, MD - Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs and Inclusive Excellence
I understand the impact and challenges that come along with being the “first” and “only.” I was the first full time female faculty to have a baby, establishing the first maternity leave policy for UCEM. When I joined the ED operations team, I was the first woman to do so, eventually becoming the first and only female Medical Director in the history of our program. I vowed to make changes so that the journey would be easier for others.
In 2018, I became the inaugural Vice Chair of Women’s Initiatives. It was a role created to champion gender equity, wellness, and inclusion for the department. The mission of my Emergency Medicine Program Of Women in leadERship (EMPOWER) is to recruit, retain and promote the women faculty to positions of leadership and it has been hugely successful. As a result, I was asked to expand my role and I now serve as the Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Through my work on the Anti-Racism Task Force, Faculty Well-Being Advisory Group, Improving Gender Equity in Medicine Task Force, and Women in Medicine and Science Group, I align departmental goals with those of the College of Medicine. I created the Leadership Excels with Achievement of Diversity (UC LEADs) endowment fund, use the skills gained from my Hedwig van Amerigen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) fellowship to propel initiatives forward, breaks down barriers, and serves as a role model to others. I was fortunate to have won the 2021 Ohio ACEP Physician Leadership award and currently serve as the Chief of Staff-Elect for West Chester Hospital.
Diversity committee members Drs Shaw, irankunda and Diaz
| 2023 Demographics | % Residents | % Faculty |
|---|---|---|
| Black / African American | 4 | 4 |
| Latinx | 9 | 3 |
| Asian | 14 | 4 |
| Women | 66 | 30 |
| Parents / Expecting | 16 | 76 |
| LGBTQ+ | 8 | 4 |
| 1st gen college | 29 | 13 |
| 1st gen doctor | 84 | 82 |
| Recruitment Stats | 21-22 | 22-23 | 23-24 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total applications received that were URiM | 17% | 18% | 14% | |
| Total initial interview invites offered to URiM applicants | 27% | 25% | 21% | |
| All interviewed applicants who were URiM | 24% | 20% | 15% | |
