Lurie Children's Diversity Resources
Dept of Pediatrics Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Climate Survey
Information gathered from this 2021 survey establishes a baseline for the culture in the Department related to EDI, and yielded 10 key action items. These actions provide an initial roadmap to address concerns of faculty and trainees related to bias and inequities in the their work environment.
Pediatric Resident and Fellow Diversity Committee
The Resident and Fellow Diversity Committee is a trainee-driven initiative, intended to facilitate activities, promote discussion, suggest program improvements and refer resources throughout the broad Northwestern and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago communities. Our aims are to host meetings, engage with community speakers and activists through panels, quarterly book clubs and movie nights, fun outings, and much more!
Watch the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion VideoCertificate Program Options
For residents with a particular interest in care for underserved populations, there are a number of opportunities. Our program offers Certificate Options in Advocacy & Population Health, Global Health and Primary Care & Community Health; these specialized pathways include career mentoring, networking and research opportunities and focused journal clubs. Many faculty members have similar interests and an array of projects where resident involvement would be welcome. Residents may request Continuity Clinic placement at our Uptown location, a neighborhood that is home to a large immigrant population and a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds. Elective or outpatient rotation placement is also possible in community practices that focus on Spanish-speaking or underserved populations.
LGBTQIA+ Applicants
Our program values the diversity of each class in order to create a rich training environment for our housestaff. We match applicants from a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, genders, religions, as well as trainees from the LGBTQIA+ community. Our program’s long-standing tradition of advocacy and community activism is exemplified by the numerous opportunities for trainees to get involved with national organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics or, for residents, spending time at the clinic for Transgender Youth and even a Community Medicine and Advocacy rotation. For LGBTQIA+ applicants, we understand that it may be important for you to find a pediatric program that will provide you excellent training as well as be affirming and supportive of LGBTQIA+ trainees. Likewise, it may be important for you to live in a city with a prominent LGBTQIA+ community. We acknowledge that it can be difficult and intimidating to ask questions addressing these important concerns; please be assured that current residents and fellows in our programs are more than willing to answer any questions you have.
Hospital Diversity Steering Committee
As a key provider for underserved populations in the Chicagoland area, Lurie Children’s strives to recruit top-quality candidates for employment throughout the hospital to provide the best service and patient care possible. All employees participate in basic Cultural Competency training as part of their orientation. The Diversity Steering Committee sponsors enrichment activities for hospital physicians, nurses, trainees and staff, including a formal lecture series, small-group discussions, films and more. These sessions focus on building knowledge, skills and behaviors that are necessary to care for and provide service to our patients and their families. Standards are further being developed to promote a sensitive approach to team relationships and problem solving.
Anti-Racism Resident Task Force
The mission of the Anti-Racism Resident Task Force is to provide a structured platform for the discussion and implementation of initiatives that promote measurable improvement in the diversity and culture of the Lurie Children’s Pediatric Residency Program and the greater hospital community. We will participate in ensuring a high quality, sustainable, and longitudinal curriculum that actively educates residents on the topics of implicit bias, structural racism, social determinants of health, and the intersection of racism and medicine. Through this curriculum, residents will gain a better understanding of the community we serve and our own biases so that we may improve the way we care for our patients, support their families, and interact with our co-workers.
Contact: Resident Leader, Melissa Nguyen