Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Diversity Drives Discovery

Diversity of people, thoughts, approaches, and ideals fuel our progress and are a crucial component in our mission to make groundbreaking discoveries that drive life-changing medicine.

Two young Black women wearning masks and gloves cutting into lab specimen
Our Mission
To Honor
The well-being, individuality and dignity of all who work, learn, and heal at Michigan Medicine.
To Champion
Diversity and inclusion for our patients, our community and society.
To Diversify
The next generation of physicians, nurses, health professionals, and scientists.
DEI 2.0 logo with text: DEI 2.0 Moving Forward Together
Michigan Medicine DEI 2.0 Strategic Plan

Presenting the Michigan Medicine DEI 2.0 Strategic Plan, our blueprint for a future where every member of our community not only feels seen and heard but thrives in an environment rich in diversity, and bound by equity and inclusion.

View or download the PDF

We take bold steps forward, embodying a commitment that transcends the realms of academia and healthcare, fostering a space where diversity is celebrated, equity is realized, and inclusion is felt palpably across all spheres of Michigan Medicine. Our strategy optimizes existing successful initiatives, aligning them under the principle of “Alignment over Addition,” ensuring potent, sustainable impact without diluting focus or resources. Embark on this insightful journey with us through the full DEI 2.0 Strategic Plan and join us in sculpting a future where every voice is heard, every identity is celebrated, and every individual belongs.

Office for Health Equity and Inclusion

The Office for Health Equity and Inclusion (OHEI) develops mechanisms for inclusion, diversity, and cultural sensitivity among community members and faculty, staff and learners at Michigan Medicine.

Learn about OHEI
Transforming Health Equity
You Belong Here

We are committed to cultivating an inclusive health environment where all members of the Michigan Medicine community are empowered, included and known. If you are interested in viewing DEI-related presentations and events, click on the link to the right:

Michigan Medicine DEI YouTube playlist
Black woman and white woman seated in front of computer smiling
Professional Development Training

The Office for Health Equity and Inclusion provides DEI-related training for Michigan Medicine faculty and staff and community members.

Learn more about Professional Development Training
Female doctor with brown skin and dark hair wearing white coat with block M and surgical goggles in lab
Workforce Diversity

The Office for Health Equity and Inclusion provides professional development and networking opportunities for members of the Michigan Medicine community, including faculty, staff, house officers, and fellows.

Learn about Workforce Diversity programs
Black man wearing mask with two women, one wearing yellow hijab and mask
Students and Pathways

Michigan Medicine’s pathways programs support students by providing diverse opportunities at every level of education. The Office for Health Equity and Inclusion offers programming for students at each step along the health science and medical career pathway: middle school, high school, undergraduate education, and medical school and graduate education.

Go to Students and Pathways page
Jonathon from Uganda wearing blue M jacket, being given sticker by brown-skinned woman in maize jacket.
Patient and Community Support

We provide support, and seek to improve the health and well-being, of our patients and community members.

Find out about Patient and Community Support

We need to engage with each other across cultures, to remain diligent in creating a health system where all people can thrive, to exhibit strength and sustainability in our DEI and anti-racism efforts, and remain determined in cultivating a safe and inclusive environment for all who work, learn, and heal at our institution.

Associate Vice President and Associate Dean for Health Equity and Inclusion
David Brown seated with hands folded
Faculty Feature

Dr. Gifty Kwakye, MD, MPH, OHEI Faculty Director, Medical School Programs; Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School.

Recognition
Excellence in Diversity

For the fourth year in a row, the U-M Medical School received INSIGHT into Diversity’s Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

DEI News and Stories See all DEI News & Stories woman pregnant laying back with doctor looking at paper work and her getting blood pressure measured
Health Lab
Sharp spike seen in emergency visits for life threatening pregnancy complication
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, the second leading cause of maternal deaths worldwide, may be sending a significantly higher number of pregnant people to the emergency department.
hands on paper writing with a pen
Health Lab
Racial and ethnic designation inaccuracies in children's medical records may impede equity efforts
A study from the Michigan Child Health Equity Collaborative, also known as Mi-CHEC, found substantial errors across the three health systems in racial and ethnic designations in their electronic medical records. 
vines all over growing out of purple woman drawing pink background calendar up and pad on right. calendar says the normal menstrual cycle typically lasts for less than 7 days and occurs every 21 to 35 days. the average woman loses about 2-3 tablespoons of blood during her period. pad says the typical cost the menstrual hygiene products is $7 to $10 per month, which adds up to between $3,360 and $4,800 over the course of a life time
Health Lab
Addressing disparities in abnormal menstrual bleeding and anemia
A large grant for Michigan Medicine will launch important research to improve the screening and treatment for a gynecologic disorder that disproportionately impacts Black and Hispanic populations
doctor in white coat with dark blue scrubs touching hand of patient in grey sweater and baseball cap in exam room
Health Lab
Neuropathy common, and mostly undiagnosed, among patients in this Michigan city
A research team, led by Michigan Medicine and in partnership with Hurley Medical Center, finds that nearly three-quarters of patients at a clinic in Flint, Mich., a community that is predominantly Black and socioeconomically disadvantaged, had neuropathy — of which 75% was undiagnosed.
computer
Health Lab
Same patient. Different visit. Different race and ethnicity?
Data on the race and ethnicity of patients underpins efforts to reduce health care disparities, but a study shows inconsistent recording in emergency departments
Provider takes a pulse oximetry reading from a patient's finger
Health Lab
Inaccurate pulse oximeter readings could limit transplants, heart pumps for Black patients with heart failure
Racially biased readings of oxygen levels in the blood using pulse oximeters may further limit opportunities for Black patients with heart failure to receive potentially lifesaving treatments, such as heart pumps and transplants