Quoteworthy
Health care providers have a duty to care for patients regardless of their race, nationality, or ethnicity, but there are still lingering ways that the health care system can alienate Black people. The more providers can understand these dynamics, the less likely they are to perpetuate them in practice.
Jocelyn Cortez and Scarlet Reyes

Most Recent
Don’t Get Lost in Translation: Expert Advice for Caring for New Americans

As Redwood Health Center’s program coordinator serving new Americans, Anna Gallegos has learned valuable lessons that can help all of us better care for patients of refugee background and vulnerable populations. Here are three suggestions to help make caring for patients easier.

Assisting New Americans Through VR Technology

Learning how to navigate school, healthcare and more as they settle into Utah can be difficult for new Americans. Assistant Professor Milad Mozari from the division of Multi-Disciplinary Design (MDD) at the U’s College of Architecture and Planning, has been working to use virtual reality technology to support the resettlement process of Utah’s newcomers.

The BIPOC Check-in and Support Group

Well-being specialist Trinh Mai started BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of color) Check-in & Support via Zoom as a place to grieve and honor George Floyd and process ongoing racism. This is a space for employees at the U who self-identify as BIPOC to experience community, share struggles and solutions, and celebrate being who they are. Trinh and some members of the check in group share how the group started, how it has evolved and its lasting impacts.

Choosing Love Over Hate

Whether it was growing up in segregated Georgia, working with leaders across the country during the civil rights movement, leading a congregation at Calvary Baptist Church, or teaching an ethnic studies class at the U, Reverend France A. Davis has lived the theme of “Choosing Love Over Hate.” With the U of U Marriott Library, he shares his experiences and discusses “choosing love” in navigating today’s challenges.

Lessons from the Community: Building Trust

Director of community engagement RyLee Curtis shares how we’re partnering with communities to build a new learning and health campus, and what we can apply now, even before construction starts

Be Mindful and Educate Yourself: Black Patient Voices

The crises of Covid-19 and police brutality have highlighted systemic racial inequity in the United States and the need to consciously dismantle the forces that cause racial health disparities. PA students Scarlett Reyes and Jocelyn Cortez brought together Black patients at the University of Utah to share their experiences. Their advice: build cultural competence and be mindful of microaggressions.

MEDiversity Week: Securing Health Equity for All

This year’s MEDiversity Week theme, “Securing Health Equity for All,” will explore how University of Utah Health can develop policies, practices, and programs that move us closer to the goal of eliminating health disparities.

A People-First Approach to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Chief Human Resources Officer Sarah Sherer shares how Hospitals and Clinics Human Resources is working to integrate a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion at the individual, team and system-level.

How to Honor and Celebrate Juneteenth in Utah

Join the University of Utah community as we celebrate and honor Juneteenth. Here are a list of Juneteenth celebrations and events on campus and in the surrounding community, as well as suggested readings and resources.

MLK Week at the U: Becoming the Beloved Community

Join the University of Utah community as we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and legacy. Here are suggested readings, resources, events and conversations throughout the week that honor Dr. King’s vision, offer direction, and challenge us to determine a better way forward.

"We're Seeing Change" – Improving Diversity and Inclusion Efforts, Part 2

M.ED host Kerry Whittemore interviews José E. Rodríguez, Associate Vice President for Office of Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, to discuss the positive changes made and efforts underway to increase diversity in the medical field.

Closing the Achievement Gap: a Key Step Towards Health Equity

The higher education achievement gap is predicted to widen as Utah’s population grows over the coming decades. Pediatricians Cheryl Yang and Rebecca Purtell share six efforts the health care community can pursue to create and promote more equitable educational, health, and future career opportunities for all children.