Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The UVA Department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences aims to be a leader in fostering an inclusive and equitable community that embraces diversity, compassion, respect and healing for all.

We acknowledge the strengths and weaknesses of our history and actively promote social justice, challenge discrimination, and address disparities and inequities. We support community engagement and partner with our local, national and global communities to eliminate health disparities.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice are foundational to our overall aims to:

• Be the best place to train and work
• Give value-based care
• Deliver quality and safety that create superior outcomes

To promote recruitment of underrepresented populations, we have joined the Housestaff Council for Diversity and Inclusion (HCDI) to host an online virtual Second Look for interested medical students. The program was well-attended in previous years and allows interested applicants to ask candid questions of our housestaff without faculty present.

Our department has been successful in attracting diverse staff and residents. This has helped create a more diversified work environment. Although, we are yet from achieving our goal, we work very hard to retain the people that we have hired. Our program promotes a message of inclusiveness by creating a safe environment (through training) and empowering each member of the team in the role they do while supporting their growth within the institution.

The GME Office and Housestaff Council for Diversity and Inclusion (HCDI) sponsored an opportunity for residency applicants who interviewed with UVA Health to meet with current housestaff members. The goal was for current residents to discuss what the working and cultural environment is like in Charlottesville and at UVA for Trainees who identify as being underrepresented in medicine. The Psychiatry department panel representatives included Funmi Akinalde, now PGY3 (pictured on the right) as well as Amir Jabr, now PGY3 (pictured with mic). Both have taken on DEI leadership roles within their department.