Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | Department of Internal Medicine | UC Davis Health

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At the UC Davis Internal Medicine Residency Program, we proudly advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in every facet of medical education and practice.

Our commitment to fostering a richly diverse and inclusive environment is at the core of our program's values. We are committed to recruiting, training, and supporting physicians that are underrepresented in medicine and those with a wide range of perspectives, backgrounds, and life experiences that enhance the learning and growth of all trainees and meet the workforce needs of our communities.

Our Diverse Community

We value the diversity of our patients that vary in age, gender, race, culture, socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and recognize that this same diversity among our residents and faculty, fosters and educational environment that allows for collaboration, growth, and more equitable care.

• Sacramento is ranked 3rd most racially and ethnically diverse large city in the nation.
• UC Davis medical school is ranked 3rd most diverse medical school in the nation with > 40% under-represented in medicine (URM) enrollment.
• For several consecutive years, our residency program has matched over 25% URM (defined by AAMC) residents.

Cultivating Diversity in Recruitment

We are dedicated to recruiting and training residents from underrepresented communities, varied backgrounds, cultures, and identities to create a vibrant community of learners.

• Holistic review of applications.
• All interviewing faculty complete annual training in implicit bias mitigation.
• Second Look events to highlight our DEI commitment to prospective applicants.
• Diversity in Medicine Visiting Elective Program Scholarship for fourth year medical students.

Promoting Cultural Competency and Equity in Education

We maintain an ongoing educational perspective grounded in health equity.

• Structured DEI curriculum (PDF) encompassing topics such as structural competency, social determinants of health, implicit bias in health care, microaggressions, upstander training.
• Health equity discussions integrated into clinical rounds and morning report.
• Quarterly DEI journal club.
• LGBTQ+ health topics incorporated into academic sessions.
• Volunteer opportunities in UC Davis School of Medicine student run community clinics.
• Opportunity to get involved in health equity research and workforce diversity research with internal medicine faculty-led Center for a Diverse Healthcare Workforce (CDHW).

Fostering Inclusion

We aim to create an inclusive environment where every resident feels valued, respected, and supported.

• DICE, our resident-led diversity committee, founded in 2015, is exceptionally engaged and active.
• Multiple layers of mentorship: peer mentor program, faculty mentor, and URM-focused mentorship events.
• Coaching Program to help build clinical skills, combat the imposter experience, and approach residency with a growth mindset.
• Community Building Events planned in conjunction with DICE and Wellness committees.
• Active Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Office of Student and Resident Diversity.

We recognize that our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is an ongoing journey and regularly assess and refine our practices to ensure that our program remains a leader in creating a more just and equitable healthcare environment.