Resident DEI
Visiting Clerkship Program
A limited number of visiting clerkship positions are available at the University of Rochester Medical Center from August through November of 2023 for select applicants from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine (URiM) or who have a demonstrated vision and commitment to improving the health status of diverse patient populations via patient care, research and/or teaching. This position comes with hospital and departmental funding to offset costs of travel and housing.
Residency Diversity and Inclusion Statement:
Our program values inclusion regarding gender identity, race/ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and perspective as it fosters a better understanding of the unique human experience in and out of the healthcare setting. We are committed to training culturally sensitive physicians reflective of the diverse population we serve. We strive to graduate residents who continue to demonstrate the importance of diversity and inclusion by providing equitable care for all patients. At the University of Rochester, individual differences are welcomed, valued, and supported.
Our Commitment
The University of Rochester Emergency Medicine Residency Program is actively working to foster a learning environment in which residents, faculty, and learners from all backgrounds are welcomed, valued and supported. Our community in Rochester is incredibly diverse, and our goal is to create a residency program that mirrors the racial, ethnic, and cultural makeup of the population we serve. As an institution, we are committed to maintaining a firmly anti-racist stance and fighting against institutional racism and violence against Black and Brown communities. We aim to graduate residents who are culturally competent, socially conscious, and prepared to meet the needs of patients from all walks of life.
Each of our residents brings a unique skill set and compilation of life experiences to the table, and we pride ourselves in choosing residents who are excited to provide excellent and equitable care by actively addressing how healthcare disparities shape the unique needs of our community. We welcome and strongly encourage residency applications from talented candidates who identify as URIM, women, and LGBTQIA+ regardless of test scores. When we embrace and celebrate each other’s differences, we can accomplish truly exemplary patient care.
Our Community
Rochester is a large, richly diverse city in Western New York. According to the U.S. Census Bureau 2020 data set, our urban population of 206K within the city of Rochester is composed of 37.1% Black or African American (Non-Hispanic), 35.8% White (Non-Hispanic), 13.9% Hispanic, 6.2% Multiracial, 3.3% Asian, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, and 0.17% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander. 9.3% of Rochestarians were born outside of the United States.
Additionally, Rochester is home to the largest number of Deaf adults in the country. According to a study released by the Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf based on census data, there are over ~19,000 Deaf/Hard of Hearing individuals in the greater Rochester area, many of whom communicate using American Sign Language (ASL). We are proud to serve the Deaf community at the University of Rochester and offer unique services such as 24/7 in-person ASL interpreters in the hospital.
DEI Task Force
Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force, established in 2020 is a group of residents and faculty members who are dedicated to increasing underrepresented in medicine (URiM) resident recruitment, participating in community outreach activities to benefit underrepresented minorities in Rochester, and incorporating diversity education into our residency curriculum to highlight healthcare disparities among BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, refugee, housing/food insecure, and Deaf communities, among others.
Women in Emergency Medicine
Our program is proud to have 19 incredible female residents, with our two most recently matriculated classes boasting a 50-50 female-male breakdown. Women are highly valued as leaders within our program, and we are fortunate to have many female attendings on our faculty, many of whom hold leadership positions, such as Dr. Andrea Miglani (ED Medical Director), Dr. Sydney Chamberlin, (ED Assistant Medical Director), Dr. Valerie Lou (Assistant Program Director), Dr. Flavia Nobay (Associate Dean of Student Affairs, University of Rochester School of Medicine), Dr. Anne Brayer (URMC Pediatric EM Fellowship Director) and Dr. Colleen Davis (Chief of Pediatric EM). Our Women in Emergency Medicine group composed of residents and faculty meets for fun activities several times throughout the year to foster fellowship and support for each other.
What Our Residents Say...
Diversity, equity and inclusion to me means an environment where there’s representation and retention of diverse talent, processes are impartial/fair and there’s equal possible outcomes for all, and an environment with inclusive culture where people feel a sense of belonging. Our residency program prioritizes this by 1) attempting to increase diversity among faculty and residents, 2) frequently speaking about health inequities during weekly conferences and, 3) encouraging wellness and camaraderie among residents and attendings. Residents exemplify these values in and outside of work by also increasing efforts to promote diversity, collaborating with other residents in different specialties, and including not only each other, but also visiting medical students on out of work activities. We are all a big family supporting each other and have created an environment where we are heard, welcomed and included. We have a ways to go but strive to be even 1%25 better each day.
Susi Gutierrez-Luke, DO (Class of 2023)