This March 14-18, the College of Osteopathic Medicine will host a series of informative events to celebrate its fourth annual Diversity Week.
“We encourage the MSUCOM community to celebrate and embrace our extraordinary diversity during this week,” says Chinyere Tobias, academic and career advisor, and chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. "And while we have made incredible progress in equality and inclusive excellence in the college and in our society, we also realize that there is still work to be done."
Six SpartanDO students have planned a series of events, covering topics from caring for the homeless to mental health and well-being, from maternal healthcare for minority and underserved women to gender and LGBTQ medicine. The events aim to enhance participants’ understanding of diversity, provide a better appreciation of the unique needs of specific populations and ways to improve care for patients, and build connections with fellow Spartans.
Over the years, Diversity Week has grown to be a platform for students to discuss and promote issues that they most identify with and see as pertinent to their generation or in their careers.
"I envision it to become a vehicle for our students to educate and expose each other to different perspectives, and to advocate for social change in medicine and continuing improvement in healthcare," says Debalina Bandyopadhyay, administrative director of the Detroit Medical Center site and one of the faculty advisors for Diversity Week.
All events are open to MSUCOM affiliates, pre-college and admitted students.
https://msu.zoom.us/j/92589945504
Passcode: Diversity
Monday, March 14: Caring for the Homeless
12 noon - 1 p.m.
Studies show that over 8,000 people in Michigan were experiencing homelessness in 2021. Join us for a conversation with Dr. Richard Bryce to discuss the importance, challenges, and disparities when caring for this patient population. Dr. Bryce will be speaking on his experiences with the Street Medicine program and his work in providing medical care to underserved and vulnerable populations.
Tuesday, March 15: Mental Health and Well-being
12 noon - 1 p.m.
Mental health and well-being can no longer sit on the back burner. Join us for a virtual viewing of the documentary, Beyond Silence, which follows 3 people and their experiences with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety. The viewing will be followed by a conversation with Dr. Farha Abbasi, an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at MSU.
Wednesday, March 16: Maternal Healthcare for Minority and Underserved Women
12 noon - 1 p.m.
People of color are at increased risk for poor maternal and infant health outcomes. Join us for a conversation with Dr. Anissa Mattison, an OB/Gyn specialist, focusing on maternal healthcare among minority and underserved women.
Friday, March 18: Gender and LGBTQ Medicine
12 noon - 1:30 p.m.
Dr. Miriam Hadj-Moussa is a Urologist at the University of Michigan whose clinical practice encompasses a wide range of general urologic issues as well as male infertility and gender confirmation surgery. Join us for a conversation focusing on gender confirming surgery and care for the LGBTQ community.
Weeklong: Supply Drive
This year we will be working with Detroit Street Care, Spartan Street Medicine, and Macomb County Street Care to host a weeklong supply drive for organizations that are local to each area. Donations will be accepted throughout the week. More information to come once the organizations have been chosen!