Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEI-B) Committee
The members of the Internal Medicine residency program leadership are committed to fostering a culture of belonging and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in all areas of the internal medicine program. We fully endorse the diversity statement put forth by Cooper's Graduate Medical Education program.
While our residency program has long been committed to these goals, we are now intensifying our efforts to recruit and educate residents who are dedicated to delivering equitable care for all patients and fostering a diverse physician workforce. Our program leadership actively engages with monthly DEI-B (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) topics to critically assess and enhance our initiatives.
In the Fall of 2022, we formalized this commitment by establishing the DEI-B Committee, which now includes three core subcommittees led by program leadership, faculty, and residents.
Cooper INSPIRE Mentorship
It is central to our support for trainees underrepresented in medicine. Stands for Inclusivity, Networking, Support, Professional Growth, Inspiration, Resilience, and Empowerment. It is a robust mentorship framework that pairs residents with mentors who have self-identified similar backgrounds and interests. Resident’s mentorship network consists of an academic advisor, URiM (Underrepresented in Medicine) faculty mentor, specialty mentor, and peer mentor. By having such a robust mentorship network, we hope to foster a keen sense of belonging within our community. We host four social events where we aim to cultivate community and provide a platform for meaningful discussions on challenging topics between mentors and mentees.
Cooper URiM Recruitment
Our goal is to recruit and retain a diverse group of residents with different life experiences to build our inclusive community. We look to connect with local SNMA and LMSA chapters to enhance visibility and collaboration with medical students in the surrounding area. We participate in regional SNMA and LMSA residency recruitment fairs to emphasize commitment to inclusivity and belonging alongside the exceptional training at Cooper. We hold virtual happy hours for URiM candidates to connect with URiM residents so that they can have a platform to discuss their experiences in our residency program. Our residency selection committee has also adopted a holistic review and made a deliberate effort to interview a diverse pool of candidates with different life experiences.