Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

The organization Do No Harm also compiled "Verbatim excerpts from the secondary application questions posted on ProspectiveDoctor.com." According to the report, the school asks, "Aspects might include, but are not limited to significant challenges in or circumstances associated with access to education, living with a disability, socioeconomic factors, immigration status, or identification with a culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine."

The health system’s task force aimed to, “Provide anti-racism education and resources throughout the MSHS in order to foster a learning community at all levels and to help advance an anti-racism and equity culture.”

 The school created The Center for Anti-racism in Practice (CAP) which "provides Anti-racism education, training, organizational strategy development, and approaches to integrate the Roadmap to Address Racism. Using our three pillars—teaching and learning design, organizational and strategy development, and integration—CAP strives to build the capacity of the Icahn Mount Sinai’s leadership, faculty, staff, students, and postdoctoral trainees to disrupt and dismantle racism in medicine and science."

As part of the school’s curriculum re-envisioning, it will incorporate “Ground training in the underpinnings of social determinants of health and racism/bias” in its content.

The school's Center for Anti-racism in Practice (CAP) provides "Anti-racism education, training, organizational strategy development and approaches to integrate the Roadmap to Address Racism" and include "Curriculum Clinics." These clinics "re-evaluate our learning environments in terms of both content and pedagogy. Through a series of foundational workshops, faculty development opportunities, assessment tools and coaching sessions, curriculum clinics provide resources to help create inclusive learning environments and prepare students to identify and mitigate racism and bias."

The Department of Medical Education committed to, “Implementing an antiracist curriculum for the medical school leaders, educators, administrators, and mentors.”

In December 2019, the school published its updated search committee guidelines which includes, under section two, "Charge to Committee," that "All members will have completed on-line training about implicit bias and gender discrimination  prior to committee participation."

The school’s Racism and Bias Initiative (RBI) x Center for Anti-Racism in Practice (CAP) Fellows will “contribute to the existing body of antiracist work within Medical Education through nine key projects across the School,” such as “Equity in Admissions” and “Anti-Oppressive MEPO Assessment” (which involves developing “a comprehensive list of existing assessment tools related to anti-oppression for the new Medical Education Program Objective.”).

The health system announced, “Institute for Health Equity Research was founded, and the focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in research was expanded.”

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai announced on social media that it will be providing fellowship awards to graduate students “for projects focused on anti-racism work” through the Anti-Racism Liaison.

In October of 2021, the school announced on social media that the school has been “awarded a five-year, $16 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to foster inclusive excellence in the biomedical sciences using evidence-based approaches.”

On August 21, 2022, the school announced its "Racism and Bias Initiative (RBI) x Center for Anti-Racism in Practice (CAP) Fellowship for Icahn School of Medicine Students" and state that "RBI x CAP Fellows will work closely with ISMMS leaders across all functional areas of the school of medicine and report directly to the co-Directors of the Center for Anti-Racism in Practice. Fellows will serve as an invaluable capacity-building resource for school and institution-wide anti-racism initiatives."

The school's "Summer Undergraduate Research Program for Underrepresented Scholars" provides scholars with the opportunity to "conduct intensive research across various disciplines in a vibrant, diverse, and nurturing environment that will prepare them to submit PhD or MD/PHD applications." The description also states, "If you are an undergraduate student from an underrepresented racial and or ethnic group and an aspiring biomedical scientist or physician-scientist interested in gaining valuable skills and hands-on research experience in preparation for a competitive PhD and MD/PhD program, we encourage you to apply..."  The application cycle "opens annually on October 1 and closes on January 15 of the following year for enrollment in the following summer." Program eligibility states that scholars must "Self-identify as a member of a group underrepresented in graduate programs in biomedical sciences."

The school launched the a three-year “Anti-Racist Transformation in Medical Education” project to “Develop the capacity of medical schools to dismantle systemic racism and bias in their work and learning environments” and “Promote shared learning on how to dismantle racism within and across medical schools” through an “interactive virtual learning platform.”

The school offers a “Racism & Bias Reading List,” that includes “Understanding and Dismantling Racism: The Twenty-First Century Challenge to White America” and “Black and White Racial Identity—Theory, Research, Practice.”

The school said, “By participating in Chats for Change, we offer an opportunity for attendees to explore key concepts related to racism and bias and uncover who they are in relation to others.” One Chats for Change is “offered to all faculty, staff, and students within the Mount Sinai Health System,” while the other is “offered nationally—to all within the medical education and healthcare communities.”

The school held a “Medical Education Grand Rounds” event where participants would “Understand the history of scientific racism” and “Understand race as a social construct,” among other objectives.

The school’s Office of Diversity & Inclusion offered a “United in Solidarity” resource guide, which included Ibram X. Kendi’s “How to Be an Antiracist” and Robin DiAngelo’s “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism.”

The health system’s task force aimed to, “Enhance leadership learning, capacity, knowledge, engagement, and accountability so that all leaders are able to participate fully in anti-racism and equity efforts.”

The health system’s task force held, “Town Halls, listening tours, and community-building efforts are focusing on health equity and anti-racism.”

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion offers a “course for managers: Creating a Brave Space for Conversations about Race. The course is a two-part series providing you with tools to develop increased confidence to facilitate discussions around race and racism with your colleagues and teams.”

In January of 2022, the school highlighted on social media that its System Chair of Neurology will speak at the University of Rochester’s annual Neurotherapeutics Symposium, The 2022 symposium focused on the theme of “Integrating Equity within Translational Research.” The specific leadership panel focused on “Ending Structural Racism during Translational Research in Neurology.”

In October of 2021, the school highlighted the Mount Sinai Health System’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer on its social media.

In 2021, the school launched and highlighted its seminar series, “The Impact of Racism on Mental Health,” on social media.

In 2021, the school announced on social media that it would host an event on “racial healing.”

In December of 2021, the school announced on social media that the Mount Sinai’s Psychiatry Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee will host a monthly lecture series.

In 2020, the school announced on social media that it held an event for screening the movie “Open Season: Racism and Health Disparities.”

In 2020, the school announced on social media that it held an event for “COVID-19, Mental Health, and Racism.”

On June 29th, 2023, the school held an event titled "Diversity in Neuroscience: Advancing Health Equity in Neuroscience."

As a unit of Mount Sinai Health System's Office for Diversity and Inclusion, the Center for Excellence in Youth Education (CEYE) helps more than 200 students annually from grade seven through college prepare for careers in science and health care. CEYE operates a range of school-year and summer programs geared to youth belonging to groups that are underrepresented in medicine.

Mount Sinai Health System's Office for Diversity and Inclusion houses the Patricia S. Levinson Center for Multicultural and Community Affairs (CMCA). CMCA is a "driving force that cultivates, integrates, and advances the principles of diversity and inclusion in ISMMS systems, structures, policies, practices, and mindsets" among ISMMS' community. Its mission is to eliminate health disparities through a nationally recognized center.

Executive Diversity Leadership Board (EDLB) is a leadership board chaired by Kenneth Davis, MD, CEO of the Mount Sinai Health System aimed at "advancing the principles of diversity and inclusion." The EDLB is supported by the MSHS Office for Diversity and Inclusion.

The Diversity Innovation Hub (DIH) is a special initiative of the MSHS' Office for Diversity and Inclusion which aims to "facilitate and accelerate the participation of women and people of color in the health tech space, innovate the practice of diversity, and advance innovation and equity in academic medicine and health care." The mission of the DIH is to "initiate, accelerate, and launch innovative solutions to address social and structural determinants of health that perpetuate disparities in health and healthcare."

The Graduate Medical Education (GME) Diversity Committee is sponsored by the ODI/CMCA and aims to advance DEI with a particular focus on the recruitment and retention of house staff. The committee consists of deans, clinical chairs, and other department chairs.

The Faculty Diversity Council is charged by the Office of the Dean to "promote the recruitment and retention among faculty members from groups underrepresented in medicine and science."

ISMMS has an Office of Gender Equity in Science and Medicine. The office aims to assess and address the "climate and structures" within the institution, looks to "build community" while working to address and strengthen policies and programs related to "bias and mistreatment, compensation equity, recruitment, retention and promotion, leadership development and family support."

ISMMS' Growth in Operations, Administrations, & Leadership Society (GOALS) organization aims to "expand diversity for Black males at the mid and upper levels of management" within MSHS and "create career conduits by accelerating (career) paths, providing mentorships, and creating opportunities for those seeking to maximize their full potential."

The Friedman Brain Institute Diversity in Neuroscience (DiverseBrains) Initiative advocates for proactive promotion of diversity and inclusivity at all levels of its activities and has an anti-racism statement.

The Center for Scientific Diversity is an initiative of the Dean’s Office and the Institute for Health Equity Research. Its goal is to "increase the research success and equitable advancement of underrepresented faculty investigators and trainees in academic medical centers nationwide."

ISMMS has a Mount Sinai Center for Asian Equity and Professional Development (CAEPD).

The Mount Sinai Health System Task Force to Address Racism will be “addressing racism and its effects on our faculty, staff, students, trainees, patients, visitors, and the communities we serve.”

In December of 2021, the school took to social media and highlighted one of its Residents of the Month, Dr. Natalie Cohen, for creating the Anti-Racism Task Force within the Department of OBGYN.

In August of 2021, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai announced on social media that it partnered with Meharry Medical College to “address racism and bias in the basic sciences and introduce greater diversity and inclusion.”

In 2020, the school participated in Blackout Tuesday on social media and released a statement of solidarity for the deaths of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery.

In 2020, the school announced on social media that it launched the BioMedical Laureates at Mount Sinai program which seeks to “increase the number of Black and Latinx research faculty at Mount Sinai and to support their growth as investigators and development towards leadership roles at our institution.”

On June 30, 2023, the school signed on to the Associated Medical Schools of New York (AMSNY) statement in response to the Supreme Court's decision regarding race-conscious admission policies, which stated the following: "The consortium of the 17 medical schools of New York State, is profoundly concerned that the United State Supreme Court decisions in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina will diminish opportunities for talented students pursuing careers in medicine and science. These decisions reject a longstanding precedent that recognized the compelling interest of ensuring diversity in higher education and may undermine recent advances to address inequities in medical education and research."

Road Map for Action to Address Racism is an MSHS initiative guided by a road map composed of 11 strategies that cover an array of areas, including measurement, health care delivery, integration and unification, finance and business, organizational and institutional, and learning and enrichment. The goal of the Road Map is for MSHS to be an "anti-racist and equitable health care and learning institution that intentionally addresses all forms of racism and creates greater diversity, inclusion, and equity for [its] workforce and for those [it serves]."