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Cooper Medical School of Rowan University

Medical School

Mailing Address
401 South Broadway
Camden, New Jersey 08103
Phone
(856) 361-2850
School Information
"Officially launched in 2012, CMSRU was the first new medical school in New Jersey in 35 years. Being a new school afforded us with the unique opportunities to create a culture centered on teamwork, professionalism and empathy. We’ve had the advantage of being able to develop a curriculum that offers dynamic teaching methods that support learning, including a focus on active learning, simulation and early and frequent exposure to patient care" (Source: https://cmsru.rowan.edu/about/). "Today, nearly 350 physicians are alumni of CMSRU’s outstanding program. They can be found caring for patients and teaching medicine at hospitals, clinics, and offices throughout the region and across the country. With more than 400 students currently enrolled, CMSRU will continue in its mission to help repopulate the physician workforce and improve the health of our community for generations to come" (Source: https://cmsru.rowan.edu/about/).
General Information
The school has engaged in several anti-racism and DEI efforts. Namely, the school has launched the Diversity Anti-Racism Initiative Group. The school also has a Diversity Council which overlooks numerous diversity groups and organizations. Curriculum reviews are being planned as well. See developments below:

Actions Taken

Admissions Policies
  • As part of the CMSRU Strategic Plan for 2020-2025, the university will “Increase enrollment for disadvantaged and underrepresented in medicine (URM) students of excellence in order to prepare a physician workforce to meet the needs of the increasingly diverse population and underserved communities.”
Anti-Racism, Bias, and Diversity Training
  • As part of the CMSRU Strategic Plan for 2020-2025, the university will “Enhance the environment by building greater diversity among faculty and staff; create anti-racism programming for students, staff, and faculty.”
  • CMSRU 2020-2025 Strategic Plan states that it would provide "[u]nconscious bias training for all search committees and new staff and students at orientation."
Curriculum Changes and Requirements
  • Following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, “CMSRU ultimately pledged to become an anti-racist institution and acknowledged that our curriculum should be revised to better train physicians who could help bring about change.”
  • The school published its "Medical Education Program Objectives" for 2022-2023 which include the following objectives; "Understand the historical context and prevalence of institutional and structural racism in medicine and how it contributes directly to health disparities and transgenerational trauma," "Understand that the medical literature may be biased by historical racism," and "Continually identify, acknowledge and challenge our individual implicit biases and their impact on patient care and professional relationships."
Political Actions and Support for Anti-Racism
  • The DARI (Diversity Anti-Racism Initiative) Group at CMSRU “is an inclusive group of multi-disciplinary health care providers who support and promote antiracism initiatives to establish a more equitable and safe environment.”
Program and Research Funding
  • Through June to July 2023, Cooper Medical School is hosting a program known as the Premedical Urban Leaders Summer Enrichment for underrepresented students.
  • The aim of the Black Male Collective-Revitalizing Access to Medical Professions for Underrepresented Populations program at Cooper Medical School is to "identify Rowan students who are African American males with an interest in careers in medicine and support them through their undergraduate years – and beyond – to maximize their chances of achieving their career goals."
  • The purpose of the Justice, Equity, Diversity, Anti-racism/Advocacy and Inclusion (JEDAI) "scholarly" concentration at CMSRU is to "encourage, support, and recognize medical students who work extensively with urban, medically underserved, and marginalized populations during their medical school careers with a focus on social justice, health equity, anti-racism, patient/community advocacy, and inclusion."
Resources
  • In order to address racism, a new anti-racism library collection was established at CMSRU and Cooper University Health Care.
  • CMSRU students host the Racism in Medicine (RiMC) Conference “aimed to bring social science scholars, community members, and healthcare professionals to educate students on how systemic racism impacts the health of minority communities and underserved communities.”
  • The CMSRU Chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society dedicated the Anti-Racism Library Collection “to address systemic racism both in medicine and our society.”
  • As part of the CMSRU Strategic Plan for 2020-2025, the university will “develop new programming and enhance current programming for community health and health equity.”
  • The school's student Diversity Council "drives intersectionality among groups and also contributes the student perspective to matters relating to inclusion at the institutional level." The council's stated goals include "Improving curriculum inclusivity and sensitivity of diverse patient populations" and "Advocating for diversity in faculty recruitment and hiring."
  • The school's student Diversity Council recommends and guides "implementation of strategic actions and initiatives to the CMSRU administration and its board in matters relating to diversity and inclusivity in the learning and social environment."
  • The Clinical Skills & Similar Center, which is run by Cooper University Health Care and Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, seeks to “create inclusive programs and to celebrate the diverse population of students, faculty, standardized patients and other learners who participate in the educational opportunities we provide.” Furthermore, “all simulation team members are engaged in educational programs about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and ongoing certifications to learn how to best provide safe and welcoming educational programs.”
Symbolic Actions
  • The CMSRU Diversity Council “strives to create an inclusive and equitable professional atmosphere where diversity inspires new angles of inquiry, new kinds of analysis, new discoveries and new solutions.”
  • “CMSRU strives to build a more diverse community and cultivate an environment that promotes a more inclusive culture through strengthening institutional infrastructure and systems to support diversity, equity, and inclusion effort.”
  • In March of 2023, the Cooper Medical School was “celebrating Diversity Month.”
  • Students were encouraged to “participate in the Royan University Inclusive Community Survey” by May 7, 2023. The survey aims to "measure the extent to which diversity and inclusion play an integral role on your campus.”
Last updated September 27th, 2024
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