Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement

In the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, we believe that diversity, equity and inclusion enrich our department and strengthen our ability to better serve our patients and our community.

We acknowledge our role in the pervasive history of racism and inequity that contributes to ongoing disparities in our society. We recognize that our field owes its development and advances to a long history of oppression and experimentation on people of color and we honor individuals such as Anarcha, Lucy, Betsey, Henrietta and other unnamed individuals.

We are committed to confronting these inequities by challenging ourselves to work towards an inclusive and just department and healthcare system through education, research, leadership, and excellence in patient care. We celebrate diversity of race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, religion, education and socioeconomic background.

We will

• Respect the dignity and worth of each of our patients, faculty, staff, learners and community partners, and promote a culture where value is seen in everyone’s unique differences.
• Foster a safe learning and work environment that is built on trust and respect, where members of our community experience a sense of belonging and feel empowered to engage in dialogue that encourages learning, progress and change.
• Challenge and combat racism, biases and inequities in our policies and interactions with our colleagues and patients.
• Commit to providing equal opportunity for recruitment, retention and promotion of our faculty, staff and trainees from underrepresented groups in medicine.
• Promote responsible conduct of research devoid of bias, inclusive of community needs and perspectives, in order to examine and build solutions that enhance the care of marginalized populations.
• Train the health leaders to address social determinants of health and recognize and confront racism and biases that contribute to disparities in patient care and outcomes.
• Build trust within our community through excellence in clinical care outreach and research.
• Advance our mission of equity, inclusion and justice.