Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
OUR MISSION
The UC San Diego Department of Neurological Surgery strives to advance justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) within all facets of the neurosurgical community through outreach, education, collaboration and mentorship. We are committed to increasing the number of healthcare professionals who are diverse as part of our mission of providing world-class patient care, advancing path-defining research and educating the neurosurgical leaders of the future.
National Leadership
Our faculty and residents are leaders in JEDI initiatives and research, with their work shaping national policies and best practices for our specialty. Dr. Sharona Ben-Haim's extensive work on gender equality in neurosurgery led to national guideline changes in parental leave policies for our specialty. Many of our faculty and residents also engage in advocacy work at the national level to ensure their findings are implemented in a real-world setting.
Pathway Programs
Each summer we're delighted to serve as a research site placement for the UC San Diego MSTP Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF). This program which is administered by the School of Medicine is designed for motivated undergraduate students who are interested in seeking future training in a combined M.D./Ph.D program or an academically oriented career in medicine. These students work with our faculty members to gain valuable neurosurgery research experience, and many are now pursuing careers in the health sciences.
Our faculty and residents advance opportunity and access to information by frequently speaking at conferences and events for first-generation medical students and pre-health undergraduates interested in careers in neurosurgery and medicine.
Our team also connects with high school and middle school students to share more about life as a neurosurgeon. Several faculty members recently discussed their careers with students at the Ocean Discovery Institute, a City Heights-based nonprofit that creates learning experiences for young people with limited access to science due to poverty.
Inspiring Future Neurosurgeons
Each year Drs. Thomas Beaumont, Joseph Ciacci, Najla Kfoury-Beaumont and David Santiago-Dieppa welcome undergraduate students from the SURF program, an 8-week-long summer program designed for students who are interested in an M.D./Ph.D.
Educating Our Team
We are committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels safe, respected and welcomed. As part of this commitment JEDI topics are embedded within our ongoing Grand Rounds curriculum, with talks attended by faculty, residents, APPs and staff members. A JEDI-focused paper is included in every meeting of our monthly resident journal club, with past topics including gender and racial equality in healthcare. All team members are encouraged to attend JEDI-focused events organized by the UC San Diego Office of Organizational Transformation
Mentorship
Mentorship is a core value of our residency program and major area of focus for our faculty, residents, APPs and staff.
Several of our faculty and residents participate in national and local mentoring initiatives, including the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) National Mentorship Program; RISE (Residents In Solidarity with Emerging Leaders), a “near-peer” mentoring program that supports any student who would like a mentor as they navigate the final years of medical school.
Internally we have a well-established resident-faculty mentorship program, which is open to all our residents. Each incoming resident is matched to a faculty mentor with whom they meet at least once per quarter. As career and subspecialty interests evolve, residents have the ability to identify a new mentor or establish additional mentoring relationships.
Many faculty members also receive career support through the UC San Diego Health Sciences Center of Excellence Faculty Development Program, designed to improve the recruitment, retention and success of all faculty in academic medicine.
The Power of Mentors
Mentor Dr. David Santiago-Dieppa and resident Dr. Alexander Tenorio stand outside the Center for the Future of Surgery.
Institutional Initiatives
Our team is committed to supporting and shaping broader JEDI initiatives launched by UC San Diego and UC San Diego Health Sciences. JEDI Program Manager and Administrative Operations Supervisor Samia Hamnache, MBA, is a member of the UC San Diego Office for Organizational Transformation, which advises the Chancellor on diversity issues. Dr. Alexander Khalessi is a founding member of UC San Diego's Health Sciences Center of Excellence Faculty Development Program, designed to improve the recruitment, retention and success of UC San Diego faculty in academic medicine.
Faculty, residents, APPs and staff are encouraged to attend talks, trainings and events held by UC San Diego Health and UC San Diego’s JEDI programs. Each year our team is delighted to join UC San Diego Health at the San Diego Pride Parade, one of the largest Prides in the nation, to celebrate our LGBTQIA+ colleagues and community members.
Additional UC San Diego resources include:
- Health Equity at UC San Diego Health
- Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
- Black Resource Center
- Cross Cultural Center
- Intertribal Resource Center
- LGBT Resource Center
- Raza Resource Centro
- Women's Center
- Asian Pacific Islander Middle Eastern Desi American Programs and Services