Diversity

2024 Diversity Academic Development Scholarship Awards

The Diversity Academic Development Scholar Award assists highly qualified and meritorious trainees in their transition to the roles of clinician-scholar, physician-scientist, research-scientist, and principal investigator as newly appointed assistant professors.

Congratulations to the 2024 recipients, Drs. Christine Limonte, assistant professor (Nephrology) and Vidhushei Yogeswaran, fellow (Cardiology). 

Nephrology Diversity, Equity,  and Inclusion Champions

DOM Diversity Council

The Department of Medicine Diversity Council, established in 2014, reports and guides on how to increase and sustain diversity in faculty, training programs, and staff.

Champions represent faculty and staff perspectives and help guide current priorities, which include increased opportunities and promoting diversity in recruitment efforts, increasing underrepresented in medicine (URiM) retention and intentionality in preparing URiM faculty/staff for future leadership roles, and establishing best practices and nurturing DEI committees and activities within the department as well as the division.

This work is critically tied to one tenet of the DOM Strategic Plan: to nurture a supportive, collaborative culture where DEI is at the center.

 Nephrology Gender Equity Ambassadors

DOM Gender Equity Council

The Department of Medicine Gender Equity Council was formed in 2020 by Dr. Barbara Jung, the first female chair of the Department of Medicine in its more than 70-year history.

Ambassadors are volunteers from across the department who support gender equity efforts in many ways. They help colleagues learn about the department's gender equity efforts, gather feedback, encourage others to participate in these efforts and help guide the work of the Gender Equity Council. 

Women in Nephrology

Efforts to enhance diversity 

The UW Division of Nephrology is spearheading efforts to enhance diversity in medicine by partnering with the School of Medicine and the Department of Medicine to recruit and support students, fellows, and faculty from groups under-represented in medicine.

Within the UW Nephrology Fellowship Program, our Diversity Enhancement Committee reviews all applicants who self-identify as being from an under-represented minority (URM) group. The committee includes Dr. Rudy Rodriguez, UW Vice-Chair of Medicine, and Dr. Bessie Young, UW Medical Director and Associate Dean for Healthcare Equity. 

We identify individuals with disabilities and those from disadvantaged backgrounds through their personal statements on the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). We encourage applicants to discuss their life experiences and unique backgrounds.

Health disparities research in kidney diseases

Nephrology is leading an effort to build a core group of researchers who focus on health disparity research in kidney diseases.

Drs. Young and Rodriguez are members of the NIH Network of Minority Health Research Investigators (NMRI). Drs. Ann O’Hare and Yoshio Hall study metadata to examine racial disparities in health services related to chronic and end-stage kidney diseases. 

Video: Equity in Kidney Disease

Resources to support diversity 

The University of Washington offers access to myriad resources to support a diverse and inclusive training and practice environment.