Representational Diversity
Building the Pipeline
Recruitment
DEIJ recruitment strategies should feature a holistic approach and flexible, highly individualized process that provides balanced consideration of a candidate’s experiences, attributes, and academic accomplishments.
ACGME Holistic Recruitment Toolkit
This toolkit, created in collaboration with the Association of American Medical Colleges, is designed to assist programs in creating admissions/selection processes that consider the “whole” applicant, rather than focusing on any one factor. CME credit is available.
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10-Step Inclusive Recruitment Checklist
The GME diversity committee put together a best practice framework for recruitment of a diverse workforce with links to resources. We encourage each program director to use these resources to meet the needs of their individual program. This list is by no means comprehensive but should serve as a good starting point for your program’s journey towards inclusive recruitment. Please note: some links to documents found in the checklist below have been restricted for IU School of Medicine staff use only.
Checklist Outline
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1) Faculty training ahead of the interview season
All faculty members involved in recruitment and evaluations of GME trainees should participate in annual training on microaggressions, stereotype threat, and other biases and challenges that disadvantage URiM applicants.
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2) Setting diversity as a priority
To maximize success, program leadership needs to prioritize a culture of diversity and inclusions. The AAMC 4-step process (reflective questions; data collection; synthesis and analysis, leverage findings) is one approach to prioritizing diversity. The steps below will help with setting diversity as a priority:
- List diversity as a priority on your program's website (or use the GME DEIJ Mission Statement)
- Ensure the images on your program's website are diverse
- Link your program's website to the GME Diversity website which displays the GME Diversity Framework (Extensive /One-Pager)
- Share your program's diversity data on your website or during the interview process
- Become familiar with DEIJ initiatives/offerings within IU School of Medicine, GME and the GME DEIJ toolkit so you can respond to DEIJ questions from applicants and others
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3) Seeking out candidates (working the pipelines)
An inclusive recruitment effort requires that programs participate in year-round recruitment efforts to seek out URiM applicants.
- See resources listed in the "Building the Pipeline" section above
- Student National Medical Association (SNMA)
- Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA)
- Howard University College of Medicine - Annual Residency Fair
- GME Open House for URiM Applicants
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4) Screening URiM applicants through ERAS filters
Programs should employ a holistic approach to reviewing all residency applicants starting with using appropriate ERAS filters that will help programs cast a wider net for URiM applicants.
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5) Holistic review of all applicants
A holistic approach involves using the Experiences, Attributes, Competencies, and Metrics (EACM) Model for reviewing applicants.
AAMC Holistic Review Primer for Program Directors
These AAMC tools and resources provide an overview of holistic review in residency selection. This primer and these videos are designed to quickly help program directors: 1) review the criteria you are prioritizing and 2) define and assess if your materials and processes reflect your priorities.
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6) Interview process
Programs should use structured interviews that incorporate behavioral and situational questions and rubrics for interview evaluation.
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7) Interview day
Programs should employ interview day "dos and don'ts" (see OB-GYN and Pediatrics examples) and best practices, which include focusing on environment, spaces, interactions, behavior, names, pronouns, highlighting DEIJ efforts, and preparing interview materials for applicants.
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8) Rank order list creation and selection
Programs must ensure that the rank selection committee includes members from diverse backgrounds who have done training in implicit bias. The diverse members of the selection committee should review all URiM applicants and have a discussion on each applicant before the selection committee. Programs should also employ "After the Interview" best practices found on the GME Recruitment Checklist.
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9) Data collection
To track success, programs are encouraged to start collecting data about how many URMs applied; were invited and interviewed; and were ranked and matched. Programs should also send post-match surveys to URiM applicants (who were ranked to match, but ended up not matching) to better understand how they can improve future recruitment of URiM applicants.
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10) Investing in Trainee Success & Creating an Inclusive learning Climate
Focusing on recruitment without addressing the culture and the clinical learning environment will hinder the programs’ retention efforts. Trainees, especially those from URiM backgrounds, experience discrimination, microaggressions, and stereotype threats leading to burnout, depression, and possible attrition. Programs should be in place to support all residents in the areas of board preparation, career mentoring, research mentoring, and guidance on professional identity formation.
Retention & Mentoring
DEIJ retention and mentoring programs help grow and retain talent, leverage leaders, and create a learning culture. Mentoring is critical to the retention of trainees and faculty from underrepresented backgrounds - it benefits both protégé and mentor.
Faculty Affairs, Professional Development and Diversity (FAPDD)
FAPDD seeks to develop a vibrant, diverse community where each faculty member has the optimal capability to make meaningful contributions to their career goals and the institution’s mission. FAPDD programs include the following:
Promotion and Tenure for Underrepresented in Medicine Faculty and Women - this annual event is organized by FAPDD to promote in rank underrepresented minorities and women faculty.
Professional development and leadership development opportunities for Underrepresented in Medicine faculty and women - FAPDD sponsors faculty for the following professional and leadership development opportunities:
- AAMC Early Career Women Faculty Leadership Development Seminar
- AAMC Mid-Career Women Faculty Leadership Development Seminar
- AAMC Minority Faculty Leadership Development Seminar
- AAMC Minority Mid-Career Faculty Leadership Development
- Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM)
Getting Started with Representational Diversity
Videos
Mitigating bias in the admissions process
Using holistic principles to identify the applicants you desire for your program
Holistic principles in resident selection – an introduction
Application of holistic principles in resident selection