Medical Education Racism and Bias Initiative

Racism and bias in medicine and medical education have significantly contributed to the development and perpetuation of inequities in healthcare outcomes for historically marginalized patient populations. In response to activism and advocacy by Mount Sinai medical students, who sought recognition of the historical roots of racism and bias in medicine and our training, we launched the Racism and Bias Initiative in 2018. This initiative aims to explicitly confront and dismantle racism and bias throughout the medical school, centering on racial justice, health equity, and amplifying the voices and experiences of underrepresented colleagues in medical education.

The Medical Education Racism and Bias Initiative is guided by a transformational change management process with a vision to become a health system and health professions school with the most diverse workforce, providing health care and education that is free of racism and bias. For more information about our methodology, read our article, “Addressing and Undoing Racism and Bias in the Medical School Learning and Work Environment” here.

"As we strive to cultivate a more inclusive and equitable medical education environment, our commitment to the Racism and Bias Initiative remains unwavering. Acknowledging and addressing the deep-rooted issues of racism and bias is essential not only for the well-being of our students, staff, and faculty but also for the health of the communities we serve. However, this work cannot be done in isolation. We need the entire school community to come together to drive meaningful change."

David C. Thomas, MD, MHPE
Dean for Medical Education
Chair, Leni and Peter May Department of Medical Education
Professor of Medicine, Medical Education and Rehabilitation and Human Performance
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Become active member of the guiding coalition
If you are very interested in becoming a change leader and can commit to 1 year membership, quarterly meetings, and yearly We’re All In events, sign up today. (January - January)

Consult on change target development
If you can’t commit to becoming a coalition member but you feel as if you can contribute to developing change targets, sign up today. (October and November only)

Contribute to change target implementation
If you can’t commit to becoming a coalition member but you feel as if you can contribute to implementing specific change targets, sign up today. (based on change target timeline )>

Participate in upcoming events
Check out the events page to search for upcoming events.