Diversity and Inclusion

The mission of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine is to foster a collaborative and diverse environment that promotes professional growth and provides compassionate and equitable patient care. 

Our Goals: 

• Build a collaborative team that reflects the diversity of the community and the patient populations that we serve.   
• Promote diversity of thought and process in all areas of education, research and patient care. 
• Provide educational content and resources to promote recognition and minimization of health care disparities. 
• Recognize and award individuals and teams that promote changes that focus on equity and diversity within our division. 

Diversity Events: 
Cardiology Grand Rounds: Available through the VUMC Learning Exchange, Cardiology Grand Rounds 

• Nov. 8, 2023: Celestine Wanjalla, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, VUMC: HIV-specific immune responses and cardiovascular disease
• Jan. 12, 2024: Faculty-Fellow Book/Podcast Club: The Promise: History of public education and desegregation in Nashville
• Feb. 27, 2024: Khadijah Breathett, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Medicine, Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant, Indiana University: Reducing racial and gender disparities in cardiovascular disease.

Previous Diversity Events: 

• Nov. 2, 2022: Dr. Rebecca Hahn: Women and Valve Disease 

• Sept. 28, 2022: Dr. Modele Oguinniyi: Health Care Disparities in Heart Failure 

• Spring 2022: Del Ray Zimmerman: LBGTQ Care in the Vanderbilt Community 

• Jan. 14, 2022: Emmanuel Acho: Difficult Conversations with a Black Man 

• Oct. 1, 2021: Francesca Duncan, MD: Responding to Racism, Discrimination and Microaggressions in Academic Medicine 

Vanderbilt DEI Resources:

• VUMC Department of Medicine Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

• VUMC Diversity and Inclusion

• VUMC Diversity Liaison Committee

• VUMC Employee Resource Groups

  •  African American ERG

  • Asian American/Pacific Islander ERG

  • Disability ERG

  • Latino ERG

  • LBGTQ ERG

• VUMC Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Disability

• VUMC House Staff Diversity & Inclusion Alliance

• VUMC Minority Housestaff for Academic and Medical Achievement

• VUMC Office of Diversity Affairs

• VUMC Office of Health Equity Antiracism Hub

• VUMC Office of Inclusion and Health Equity

• VUMC Program for LGBTQ Health

• Vanderbilt University Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

• Vanderbilt University Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Life

• Diversity Literature and Articles (SharePoint access required)

Other Resources 

• Underrepresentation of Minorities in Clinical Trials and Guidelines 

Lisa Mendes, MD

Professor of Medicine

Henry Okafor, MD

Associate Professor of Medicine