Diversity and Inclusion

Division of General Internal Medicine and Public Health DEI mission statement

​​​​​​​The mission of the DGIM DEI Committee is to provide education and create community to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion within DGIM. Our aim is to provide a forum for individuals to combat bias in all forms, to practice the values of inclusion and justice, and to provide a supportive space for each other to learn and grow. We aspire to be a division where individuals of all backgrounds can feel accepted and empowered to improve the health of our population and ourselves.

We are committed to making our division a welcoming, supportive, and nurturing community for all faculty, staff, and trainees. Through efforts related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, we strive to foster open, honest communication and build a community where all can thrive. 

We are committed to bringing DEI scholarship and clinical care best practices to the greater internal medicine community and have dedicated two division Grand Rounds per year to DEI efforts. In addition, our division’s liaisons to the Department of Medicine’s DEI Committee help select the DEI Grand Rounds speaker for the department as a whole. 

Below are some of the topics of past talks:   

• Microaggressions in Medical Settings – Walter Clair, MD, MPH, and Kristi Sinkfield 2/15/2023  
• Seeing Disability: A DEI View – Emily Tarvin - Grand Rounds 11/30/2022  
• Improving Health Outcomes for the High Need Population by Addressing Transportation Barriers to Outpatient Appointments – Merranda D. Holmes, MD 10/26/2022  
• Microaggressions and Clinical Care – Maie El-Sourady, MD and Ana Nobis, MD 5/11/2022  
• GIM’s Role in HIV Prevention: 2022 Updates – Christopher Terndrup, MD 4/27/2022  
• Diversity and Inclusion: The Vanderbilt Experience – Marques Bradshaw, MD 3/2/2022  
• Considerations for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Patients & Families – Del Ray Zimmerman 12/15/2021

Participation in the Department of Medicine anti-racist book club  

Along with Dr. Walter Clair and Dr. Anna Person, the Division of General Internal Medicine and Public Health DEI Liaisons (Drs. Ana Nobis and Maie El-Sourady) help manage and co-lead the monthly Department of Medicine anti-racist book club.  Books, podcasts, and journal articles that address various aspects of DEI, along with candid conversation, make for a rich and enlightening discussion.  Some of the books we have read include:    

• Race on Campus by Julie J. Park  
• Black Fatigue by Mary-Frances Winters  
• The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio    

DEI monthly email  

The Division of General Internal Medicine and Public Health provides a monthly diversity, equity, and inclusion newsletter which features DEI events throughout VUMC and Vanderbilt as well as the greater Nashville community. We share monthly spotlights, volunteer opportunities, and creative works, as well as links and reminders for upcoming talks and events.    

Vanderbilt DEI resources

• Department of Medicine Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• VUMC/VUSM Health Equity and Inclusive Excellence 
• VUMC Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Disability
• VUMC House Staff Diversity & Inclusion Alliance
• VUMC Minority House Staff for Academic and Medical Achievement
• VUMC Program for LGBTQ Health
• Vanderbilt University Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
• Vanderbilt University Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Life

Internal resources for VUMC employees (Requires login)

• VUMC Office of Diversity and Inclusion
• VUMC/VUSM Office for Diversity Affairs
• VUMC Office of Health Equity Antiracism Hub
• VUMC Employee Resource Groups
  • African American ERG
  • Asian American/Pacific Islander ERG
  • Disability ERG
  • Latino ERG
  • LGBTQ+ ERG
  • Veterans ERG
• Diversity literature and articles (SharePoint access required)

Maie El-Sourady, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Ana Nobis, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine