Student smiling looking out windown

National Latinx Heritage Month is observed Sept. 15 – Oct. 15. In the following Q&A, Mariana Arce, a third-year medical student at our Lexington Campus, shares about her identity as a Latina and how it has helped shape her goals as a future physician. 

Q: How do you identify? What is your national/cultural background?

Group of high school and undergraduate students standing in front of shelves of books and smiling for a group photo

Markey Cancer Center Appalachian Career Training in Oncology (ACTION) Program

Golden Apple Award recipients

In recognition of its strong commitment to student achievement, the University of Kentucky STEM Through Authentic Research and Training (START) program was honored with the Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS) Golden Apple Award.

Kevin Pearson, PhD

The University of Kentucky College of Medicine has made incredible strides to enhance diversity and inclusivity in research and training. The college has established a new leadership position – the assistant dean for inclusive research initiatives – to build upon this progress and ensure continued advancement.

Pride

The UK College of Medicine and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will host a series of events for its annual Pride Week celebration. Details for those events can be found below.

HIV Stigma Panel

Wednesday, Sept. 28
Noon-1 p.m. ET

Click here for the Zoom link.

diversity and inclusion ambassadors at Frederick Douglass High School

For assistant professor Jamie Key, DO, promoting equality and inclusion “is in my blood as much as red blood cells.” In fact, part of her reasoning for choosing a specialty in physical medicine and rehabilitation was so she could provide care for individuals who experience biases of ableism and help them navigate the challenges.

Elizabeth Rhodus

As an occupational therapist, Elizabeth Rhodus, PhD, has worked closely with older Kentuckians facing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). She also has witnessed firsthand how poor health, limited resources, and high poverty rates have served as barriers to proper prevention and treatment.

Common Read Initiative

As a faculty preceptor for the Introduction to Clinical Medicine course, Hilary Surratt, PhD, associate professor of behavioral science, has witnessed learners engage in thoughtful dialogue around biases. However, she said they sometimes struggle in understanding how bias impacts clinical care.

Charla Hamilton

Earlier this year, ODEI brought on Charla Hamilton as our new program manager for diversity and inclusion. In this newly established role, she will develop diversity and inclusion programming and support the office’s committee and affinity groups like Women in Medicine and Science (WIMS) and the LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee.

Dr. Stephanie White
From the Desk of Acting Dean Charles H. Griffith, MD, MSPH

It is a great pleasure to announce that effective today, July 18, Stephanie L. White, MD, MS, associate professor of pediatrics, will lead the UK College of Medicine Office of Medical Education as the new senior associate dean for medical student education.

Dr. Rachele Yadon

Rachèle Yadon, MD, is an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Along with serving on the faculty, she is a diversity and inclusion ambassador. In this role, she is charged with developing more equitable practices and leading these efforts in her department.

lgbtq+ advisory committee

The College of Medicine LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee was established to build a more inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ faculty, staff, and trainees. Under direction of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the committee hosts social events, creates mentorship and networking opportunities, and more.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 7, 2022) — At the University of Kentucky, we often talk about the importance of meeting the moment: rising to answer the most pressing questions and finding solutions for the most significant challenges facing Kentuckians. Our researchers, with their spirit of collaboration and endless drive for innovation, are making that bright future possible.

Keisa Fallin-Bennett

Keisa Fallin-Bennett, MD, MPH, knew that family medicine was her ideal specialty when she found herself interested in every clinical rotation during medical school.

“I knew it was top choice – nothing convinced me otherwise,” she said. “I thought, ‘These are the people who think about medicine like I do.’”

START Apprentices Lordina Mensah, Aliya Perrin and Jeanne Alexandre graduate from Lexington's STEAM Academy this weekend, and all plan to attend UK in the fall to study STEM-related fields.

The STEM Through Authentic Research and Training (START) program at the University of Kentucky is creating a unique pipeline to increase science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) literacy and promote STEM careers for traditionally underrepresented populations — people of color, individuals with disabilities, students from free or reduce

May 2022 - Inclusive Education Spotlight.jpg

In 2020, high-profile murders of Black civilians by police garnered national attention, shining a light on the growing need for social change. Learners at the UK College of Medicine collaborated to compose a letter to their leadership, advocating for solutions to combat systemic racism. The College of Medicine administration engaged with learners to implement strategies and initiatives that would address their concerns.

Screen Shot 2022-04-27 at 9.46.40 AM.png

LEXINGTON, KY. (April 28, 2022) — It started as an idea during the 2021 spring semester. The goal behind the idea being discussed by the student group, Minority Students in Neuroscience (MSN), was to bring together all neuroscience majors, faculty and staff for an event celebrating the study they all love and enjoy.

News.png

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 8, 2022) — Every year, the University of Kentucky’s Center for Health Equity Transformation (CHET) recognizes the efforts and voices of UK students, trainees and faculty members who are addressing health inequities.

Meron Lemma with mentor Krystle Kuhs.JPG

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 9, 2022) — Throughout March for Women’s History Month, the University of Kentucky is spotlighting Women Making History. These women are leading their fields of research, crossing traditional academic boundaries and impacting Kentucky’s most pressing challenges, including opioid use disorder treatment, aging and Alzheimer’s, water and air filtration, environmental impacts on health and suicide prevention.

2022WCBL.jpg

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 23, 2022) — University of Kentucky College of Medicinestudents Rashmi Bharadwaj, Maya Cleveland, Lillian Maxwell, Darayon Moore and Maggie Stull have been awarded Department of Behavioral Science White Coats for Black Lives Fellowships.