Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Strategic Plan

Our office intentionally creates engagement opportunities and initiatives for faculty, staff, and learners.

Our clinical and basic science departments, centers, and educational offices are working to develop more inclusive and equitable practices. Our Diversity and Inclusion Ambassadors are charged with leading these efforts.

Inclusive Research

The UK College of Medicine strives to foster a spectrum of research opportunities for a diverse pool of high school students, undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty.

Welcome from our Acting Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion

Welcome to the College of Medicine’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI). The work of educating and training highly qualified physicians and researchers to serve Kentucky and the nation cannot be done without considering the ways in which our identities impact how we navigate our hallways, classrooms, laboratories, clinical settings, and the world around us.

Our office strives to provide support and facilitate connections. We work in collaboration with faculty, staff, and learners across the college; the Office of Institutional Diversity; UK HealthCare; offices, centers, and colleges across the University of Kentucky; and the broader Lexington and regional campus communities.

We look forward to facilitating your connections to thrive in our inclusive community.

Stephanie White, MD, MS, FAAP
Acting Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion
Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Learn More About Us

Statement on Racial Justice

Every facet of our collective, day-to-day lives has been, and continues to be, affected by racism. Therefore, we must continue to stand against racism and xenophobia in action and language. At the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, we acknowledge the existence of stereotyping, bias, discrimination, prejudice, microaggressions, and other forms of racism and xenophobia. The cost of racism, both structural and interpersonal, on the mental and physical health of racially minoritized groups is incalculable and fundamentally antithetical to the moral responsibility of health professionals.

As healers and educators of the next generation of physicians and scientists, it is not enough to say we will “do no harm.” We cannot remain committed to educating, training, and producing highly qualified and caring physicians to serve all the people of Kentucky and the nation without recognizing the systemic racism which lingers in our nation and health care systems and working to dismantle it.

In his campus message recently, President Capilouto asked the entire campus to recommit to creating a community of belonging for everyone. He further stated that we must hold each other accountable as we take steps together. As such, we want to provide an update on our college efforts, institutional partnerships, and an upcoming community forum.

> Click here to read the full statement from Acting Dean Griffith