Visioning Inclusion in an Academic Medical Center
Visioning Inclusion in an Academic Medical Center

Summary/Abstract: It has been said that microaggressions such as microinsults, microinvalidations, microassaults, and environmental microaggressions are “commonplace” in medicine. Despite their ubiquity, they are preventable at an individual, group, institutional, and societal level. However, without understanding their prevalence and content they are impossible to address. Therefore, to determine the prevalence of microaggressions at an academic medical center we surveyed faculty, staff, and students. Consistent with what has been reported in the literature, the survey revealed a relatively high level of microaggressions across all levels of the academic medical center. Based on the survey findings, we developed specific, targeted actions including dissemination of a monthly calendar designed to heighten awareness and understanding of diversity, annual recognition of a faculty member and staff member for their efforts to further diversity and inclusion, revision of recruitment procedures for all senior administrative and many faculty positions, and the initiation of a diversity strategic action planning process.

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