2023 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Annual Report
The Department of Radiology is committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion among our faculty, staff, and trainees. We believe that bringing together people with different backgrounds, experiences, and beliefs helps us meet the challenges of healthcare and fosters new ideas and innovation.
Department of Radiology Diversity Committee
Led by Dr. Ernst Garçon, the department's very active Diversity Committee is the epicenter of many initiatives to make the department more diverse and inclusive. The Committee is attended regularly by departmental faculty leadership as well as representation by residents. The group is balanced by academic rank, gender, has Black, Latin, Asian, and White representatives, and includes members of the LGBTQ community.
In 2023:
- The committee organized two Diversity Grand Rounds lectures in 2023: “Intro to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Radiology,” by Dr. Hetty Cunningham and “Leading Organizational Change in Pediatric Health Equity and Inclusion,” by Dr. Valerie Ward.
- The department supported the second year of a High School Mentoring Program developed and led by nuclear medicine program manager Miosotys Nuñez. Students from a local Washington Heights high school rotated through the department from October 2023 through April 2024 and learned about radiology and health administration through lectures by our faculty, staff, and residents, as well as hands-on activities.
- The department established a partnership with the CUNY School of Medicine to enroll medical students in the department’s radiology elective. Our first CUNY student participated in the elective in October 2023, and we have two more scheduled for April, 2024.
- To support efforts to recruit a more diverse cohort of residents, we organized two radiology panel discussions for Columbia medical students. A diverse group of five to six faculty from different subspecialties participated in each well-attended event. Panel members shared experiences, answered questions, and promoted radiology to our medical students.
- Dr. Diego Jaramillo presented the inaugural Certification of Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion to fourth-year resident Dr. Scott Widemon at the annual Farewell and Awards Ceremony in June, 2023. The award recognizes a resident's strong commitment to diversity in the residency and the department.
- The department Book Group read and met to discuss three books in conjunction with heritage months: The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison (Black History Month), Giovannni's Room by James Baldwin (Pride Month), and Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann (Native American Heritage Month).
- Led by Dr. Carrie Ruzal-Shapiro and Dr. Kathleen Capaccione, our Women in Radiology Group continued to meet quarterly to discuss issues that affect women in the workplace. The group is well attended by faculty, residents, and fellows.
- Dr. Stuart-Bentley Hibbert organized a well-attended department outing to the New York Theater Festival's My Husband in June 2023 for Pride Month. The play was written by the son of Dr. Melanie Moses.
- The department continued to expand its global health efforts in 2023. In collaboration with RAD-AID, abdominal radiologist and residency program director Dr. Jasnit Makkar and two residents travelled to Georgetown Public Hospital, Guyana. This was the department's third trip to Guyana to provide support for the Radiology Residency Program there. The trip supported a series of virtual lectures that are provided twice a month by our residents to support the Guyana program. The support and collaboration both virtually and in person are expected to continue with Georgetown Public Hospital.
- Radiology residents Dr. Eleanor Kim and Dr. Zeeshan Toor applied for and received approximately $150,000 in in-kind donations from Boston Scientific and Argon Medical Devices. The donations consisted of interventional radiology tools, which were transported to Georgetown Public Hospital to support the interventional radiology program there.
- Dr. Allison Borowski created a department-wide Global Radiology Outreach Committee which will serve to organize and expand the department's commitment to public health.
- Dr. Ernst Garçon continued efforts of outreach to Haiti, currently through the establishment and support of a radiology technology school in the northern cirty of Cap Hatiën, Haiti. Despite political unrest in the coutry, the program has been able to continue with only a brief hiatus.
Diversity in Leadership
Dr. Ernst Garçon continued to chair the Diversity Committee in 2023, with active participation from Dr. Diego Jaramillo, department interim chair.
The department continued efforts to enhance the role of women and minorities in the Department both in leadership and providing care. In 2023, the department doubled the number of women with full professorship appointments, from two to four.
Participation in the Community of Diversity
Dr. Jaramillo represents the department in hte meetings of the Network of CUIMC Diversity Officers and the VP&S Latino Association.
Members of the Diversity Committee have spearheaded participation in mentoring of minority medical students and undergraduate students through various campus organizations including Columbia Black Men in Medicine (CBMIM), Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA), the Gerald E. Thompson Undergraduate Pre-Medical Program (GETUPP), the Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP), and the Q Clinic, an LGBTQ+ medical student run clinic.
In summary, prioritizing diversity within the Department of Radiology at Columbia is paramount for fostering equity and achieving excellence. We will remain proactive in the recruitment of diverse faculty, and in doing so, we will continue to broaden our perspectives, promote innovation, and create the inclusive environment needed to provide the best possible care for the patients we serve.