About the Office of Community Health & Inclusive Excellence
The Office of Community Health & Inclusive Excellence honors our historic commitment to inclusion, which began with our legacy school, Woman's Medical College, the first degree-granting medical school for women.
Under the Dean's vision, the Office of Community Health & Inclusive Excellence addresses pressing challenges, and fulfills our goal of becoming a leader in developing the next generation of a diverse workforce. The Office of Community Health & Inclusive Excellence focuses efforts on enhancing the core missions of educational excellence, research innovation and outstanding clinical care — all achieved within a productive inclusive environment — at the College of Medicine and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies. Our office collaborates across all our areas of impact ― from recruitment, admission and retention to curricula, student and faculty life, and more.
Office of Community Health & Inclusive Excellence Initiatives
Our faculty work to address health disparities in areas such as maternal child health, mental health, HIV, addiction, and transplantation medicine. They also assist with population-based care at the Chinatown Clinic and deliver high caliber primary and specialty care to patients in need. Our pediatricians care for vulnerable infants and youth in North Philadelphia which is one of the most concentrated areas of Spanish speakers in the city. They also care for a large immigrant population at the Center for the Urban Child.
Drexel University College of Medicine is a diverse place to learn, conduct research and deliver care. This begins with our holistic admissions process in the medical school. When reviewing applicants, we look at the whole person and how they can enhance the student body at the school. We look to add a comprehensive experience at the College through fostering participation of underrepresented groups in medicine. At Drexel University College of Medicine, that includes women, Pennsylvanians, residents of rural areas, people of underrepresented races and ethnicity, veterans, first-generation immigrants, LGBTQA and non-traditional students.
One strategic initiative of the Office of Community Health & Inclusive Excellence is to address the issue of black men in medicine ― or more accurately, the lack thereof. The Dean has charged our office to find solutions and develop impactful interventions. We continue to make targeted efforts to raise awareness and take action to create change. This has included building a network designed to connect African-American physicians with African-American students at Drexel.
Students can extend their critical thinking in various areas of health inequities ― including the role of sex and gender health inequities, through two of our Scholars tracks.
The Office of Community Health & Inclusive Excellence routinely highlights faculty, staff and students who contribute to our unique and shared experience. You can read about our many "gems" in our "Destination Excellence" column in Pulse, the College of Medicine's quarterly magazine. We also have numerous groups, initiatives and activities that optimize our strengths in an effort to make a difference in the lives of patients. For example, our community outreach efforts allow students to engage with an amazing representation of people that we see throughout Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Our goal is to create the best learning environment possible through several unique programs. The Drexel Pathway to Medical School helps people from socially or economically disadvantaged backgrounds pursue their medical degree. We also provide training programs to enhance the workforce and prepare individuals for entry into health care fields. Additionally, our students volunteer in numerous health education and outreach programs to help the underserved population of Philadelphia.
Drexel University College of Medicine has pioneered several unique programs to address specific health care needs in our community. From reproductive health for refugee women or to programs that provide emotional support for trauma victims, our physicians work to help people with more than pills or devices. They use their innovation and determination to create change.
Promoting Inclusive Excellence
Members of the Office of Community Health & Inclusive Excellence not only address specific issues and provide support for students, faculty, and staff at the College of Medicine, they work in other departments at Drexel University and the College of Medicine, furthering the overall goals of the entire University. Access throughout the University provides the members of the Office of Community Health & Inclusive Excellence opportunities to promote inclusive excellence work within the College of Medicine's human resources and faculty affairs offices and at staff functions.
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