Statement on Diversity and Inclusion

The Internal Medicine Residency Program leaders recognize the need to end racism, bias and healthcare disparities in our neighborhoods and throughout our country.  Our residency program has always valued diversity. We strive to recruit and retain outstanding underrepresented minority physicians in order to meet the needs of our very diverse patient population as well as our institutional mission.

As Residency Program leaders and members of the Medical Center leadership, our goal is to ensure a supportive environment for ALL our residents. We are actively working on ways to improve our understanding of the endemic problems and to find and implement solutions. All program leadership participate in faculty development on understanding and identifying implicit bias and structural racism. We conduct holistic reviews of applicants and give special consideration to First-generation medical students, underrepresented minorities, and those who acknowledge hardships. Dr. Maria Garcia, an Associate Program Director, serves as the Assistant Vice Provost for Diversity at the Medical School and guides much of our work. Our faculty and residents serve on our Department of Medicine’s committee on recruiting underrepresented minorities.

Some have asked:  Do residents from underrepresented minorities feel supported in the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School Internal Medicine residency?  We hope and believe that they do, but rather than speak for them, we encourage applicants to reach out to our residents directly to learn more. It is important to emphasize that we as residency leaders are making sincere efforts to create the best possible learning environment, and will continue to recruit and retain outstanding medical students from underrepresented backgrounds to be our colleagues here at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. 

Scott Kopec, MD, FCCP
Elizabeth Murphy, MD, MPH, FACP
Paula Cullinane, MD, MPH
Christie Donahue, MD
Maria Garcia, MD, MPH, FACP
Andrea Poisson-Irani, MD