Diversity and Inclusion

Serving Chicago’s West Side

Rush University Medical Center sits in the center of the Illinois Medical District, on the Near West Side of Chicago. Patients from the multiple ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds of the surrounding neighborhoods as well as northern and western Illinois, northwest Indiana and southern Wisconsin choose to come to Rush. Pilsen, the Ukrainian and East Villages, the West Loop, Greek Town, Little Italy, and Chinatown neighborhoods lie close to the Medical Center’s doors. The diversity of patients that are found at Rush represent the rich cultural mix that constitutes both Chicago and its extended metropolitan area as a whole.

 

Learn why Rush is a desired destination for medical residents and fellows. 

Diversity and Inclusion Council

The Department of Internal Medicine at Rush University Medical Center is committed to advocating and supporting a culture in which diversity and inclusion are part of the learning environment. We advocate for creating a work environment that reflects the community we serve and training physicians who are equipped to serve diverse communities.

The Internal Medicine Residency Diversity and Inclusion Council (D.I.C.) is dedicated to working in collaboration with the Residency to foster an environment of unity where residents and students can learn about topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion and how they impact patient care. The D.I.C. is also committed to promoting our training program to young physicians that share our values and will help us achieve this mission. Here at Rush we recognize the importance of an inclusive, diverse workforce, and strive for our program to reflect the growing and unique demographics of our country. Below are several events that our Council has planned for the coming year.

Open House

We offer an annual Diversity Open House in the fall. This program is geared toward third year and fourth year medical students interested in Internal Medicine, but first and second year students are also welcome to join us. We arrange a day that showcases our program leadership, our core training philosophy, and our facilities. Students are able to meet faculty leadership and current residents. Our 2021 Diversity Open House is scheduled for Saturday, October 16th. It will be a hybrid in-person/virtual event. If you are interested in joining, please RSVP here. 

Happy Hour

Historically, we have offered a multidisciplinary happy hour for fourth year students interviewing in the Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Emergency Medicine programs. This was an informal event for interviewees to meet our residents and faculty away from the stress of interview day. It also allows prospective residents the chance to meet applicants to Rush programs other than Internal Medicine to assist in forming a full perspective of our organization. Due to safety measures, we are unable to host an in-person happy hour this year. Please contact Susan Lopez, MD for updates on upcoming virtual events. 

Visiting Scholars Program

The Department of Internal Medicine is committed to advocating and supporting a culture in which diversity and inclusion are part of the learning environment. We advocate for creating a work environment that reflects the community we serve and training physicians who are equipped to serve diverse communities. We welcome 4th year medical students who identify as Underrepresented in Medicine (URM) to apply for our Visiting Scholars Program and rotate with our Internal Medicine Program. Please click here for more information on how to apply. 

Program Benefits:

• Up to $2,000 stipend to subsidize travel and housing expenses
• Student will be paired with a resident or fellow peer mentor
• Student will be paired with a faculty mentor
• Student will meet with the Program Director
• Inclusion in resident conferences/activities/social events

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Education

Diversity and Inclusion Curriculum

Recognizing that topics in diversity, inclusion, and health inequities impact patient care and the learning environment, the D.I.C. in collaboration with the Diversity Officer for the Internal Medicine Program have created a curriculum for the residency program. The D&I curriculum will focus on creating a safe space to discuss topics in D&I by training individuals on how to have effective conversations about these topics. The curriculum will also allow residents to learn about a wide breadth of topics from the history of racism in medicine to discussions about various marginalized groups. Part of this curriculum will also include a D&I book club held bi-monthly and is open to both residents and faculty.