Indiana University School of Medicine

On June 29, 2023, the school published its response to the Supreme Court's decision regarding race-conscious admission policies and stated the following: “While we review today’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, Indiana University reaffirms our commitment to fostering a learning environment that is enriched by students, faculty, and staff with a broad range of backgrounds and by robust discourse that draws on various perspectives and beliefs. In creating this experience, we reflect the fullness of our state, nation, and world and prepare IU students for lifelong success as citizens and contributors to a global economy. In the weeks to come, we will work to understand this ruling and what may be required to ensure that IU follows the law, while also continuing to pursue the principles and values that have shaped the learning environment we seek across IU."

IU SOM offers a "wide range of recruitment and retention programs to help build a pipeline of talented and diverse health care professionals and scientists, starting in K-12 education through graduate medical education and into the clinic and lab."

The Faculty, Staff, and Learner Training Task Force was tasked with "Cataloguing current required and/or optional training opportunities for faculty, staff, and IU School of Medicine learners of all types on the topics of unconscious bias, microaggressions, cultural humility, bystander interventions, and professionalism," "Providing a recommendation on other similar topics that should be required or optional training opportunities for faculty, staff, and IU School of Medicine learners," "Developing a plan to increase the level of knowledge among faculty, staff, and learners on these topics through training and professional development opportunities. The plan should address both content development and training process/logistical issues and should include an assessment and evaluation strategy," and "Determining whether a policy on mandatory training should be adopted, and if so, making a recommendation for the development of such a policy."

The Diversity Task Forces recommended that the school implement "Required training in unconscious bias, microaggressions, micro-resistance, upstander training."

The Diversity Task Forces recommended that the school, "Require health disparities and racism training for patient facing members."

On June 1, 2020, the school's Dean announced several diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives including "Implementing regular training for faculty and learners on the topics of unconscious bias, microaggressions, cultural humility and professionalism" and "Improving information, resources and transparency around expectations of professionalism and potential consequences of Honor Code violations, which includes acts of racism and bigotry."

As part of its Graduate Medical Education, IU SOM offers a variety of DEIJ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice) trainings which "helps facilitate positive intergroup interaction, reduce discrimination and prejudice, and instructs individuals from different backgrounds on how to work together effectively."

The Diversity Task Forces recommended that the school review "medical education curricula to address biases and microaggressions in medical education."

On September 9, 2020, the school's Faculty News section announced several new "Curricular Threads" which include "Health Equity and Care of the Underserved: Education on the impact of systemic racism and caring for Indiana’s Black communities." This thread would "focus on increasing student awareness of the specific health disparities faced in our Black communities as a byproduct of systemic racism."

On June 5, 2020, the school's Newsroom announced that the school of medicine received a "$7 million education grant aimed at eliminating health disparities" and stated, "As the state and nation continue to deal with the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as addressing racial inequities captivating the national consciousness, this grant is aimed at helping IU School of Medicine lead the way in eliminating health care deficits." The grant was awarded by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) and would fund a project called "Primary Care Reaffirmation for Indiana Medical Education (PRIME)." PRIME would "enhance the IU School of Medicine curriculum by focusing on social determinants of health, primary care skills and health systems science."

On June 1, 2020, the school's Dean announced several diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives including, "Conducting a comprehensive review of the medical school curriculum to address the potential presence of biases and microaggressions" and "Enhancing the curriculum to better address eliminating health disparities."

On June 5, 2020, the school's Newsroom announced that the school of medicine received a "$7 million education grant aimed at eliminating health disparities" and stated, "As the state and nation continue to deal with the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as addressing racial inequities captivating the national consciousness, this grant is aimed at helping IU School of Medicine lead the way in eliminating health care deficits." The grant was awarded by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) and would fund a project called "Primary Care Reaffirmation for Indiana Medical Education (PRIME)." PRIME would "enhance the IU School of Medicine curriculum by focusing on social determinants of health, primary care skills and health systems science."

The Multicultural Physicians' Alliance at IU COM "works to improve diversity, equity and inclusion among residents and fellows by fostering an environment for professional development and a culture of inclusivity."

IC COM offers several pathway programs in order to increase the number of underrepresented students in the medical and STEM professions including: "Breaking the Myths," "Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences at IU School of Medicine," and the "Indiana University-HBCU STEM Initiative."

Indiana University Health is providing resources that "focus on addressing implicit bias, unconscious bias and other blind spots, and how to mitigate these biases" and "help team members deal with racism, how to talk about race and address racism, and provide education on how to fight racism."

Indiana University Health "is introducing learning modules that further help us grow." Upcoming trainings include "Implicit Bias/Mitigating Bias," "Cultural Humility/competence," "Anti-racism," and "Harassment and discrimination."

The school tweeted, "As we begin the new year, we urge all in our IU School of Medicine community to reaffirm their commitment to anti-racism and health equity and to pursue further learning opportunities, with the goal of translating such opportunities into action."

The school's Ruth Lilly Medical Library has an "Anti-Racism, Inequity, and Implicit Bias in Health Care" library guide that includes Podcasts and Talks, such as "At the Intersection of Equity, Science and Social Justice: An Inflection Point for Organized Medicine."

On May 23, 2023, Student Life published an article titled "APAMSA builds community, highlights diversity among Asian Pacific Americans in medicine," which discusses the need for the medical profession to acknowledge the broad diversity within the Asian-American community.

On May 26, 2023, the "Spirit of Medicine" school blog reported that "Faculty, residents and fellows joined together recently at the Indianapolis Artsgarden to celebrate the inaugural Multicultural Physicians’ Alliance (MPA) Gala, sponsored by Indiana University Health...to honor individuals who exemplify inclusive behavior at Indiana University School of Medicine." Honorees received the "Diversity Champion" award.

The school's "2023 Summer Series on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion" would take place between June and September of 2023 and includes: "Impact of Skin Pigmentation on Pulse Oximetry," "Cardiovascular Disease and American Indians," and "GI Issues in Hispanic Populations."

On February 3, 2023, FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) published an article titled "Indiana University School of Medicine continues to disregard First Amendment, smuggles ideological commitments into honor code." According to FIRE, "IU School of Medicine now appears to require faculty to sign a politicized honor code as part of its training on mitigating bias." The oath states in part, "IU School of Medicine expects all in its community to reflect on these values and ensure that their views, beliefs, actions, and inactions do not, intentionally or unintentionally, perpetuate the problem of health care [sic] inequity."

The GME Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Toolkit at IU SOM "provides resources for the inclusive recruitment and retention of a diverse group of residents and fellows, and also serves as the main resource for all the DEIJ initiatives, events, workshops and training sessions happening at IU School of Medicine and the IU Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs."

The school launched its Diversity Task Forces in 2020 to "address racism and equity at Indiana University School of Medicine with the input of multiple stakeholder groups. Each task force reported quarterly on their findings and provided recommendations for sustainable improvement." The task forces were the Data and Climate Survey Task Force, Faculty, Staff, and Learner Training Task Force, and the Honor Code Task Force.

Indiana University Health is focusing its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts on the Interpersonal ("Ensuring trust and equity in our care"), Institutional ("Fostering a diverse workforce and inclusive culture"), and the Societal ("Advancing equity in the communities we serve").

Indiana University Health "has added three newly created positions to help address key areas," including Chief Health Equity Officer, Program Director for Design and Construction Supplier Diversity, and Program Director for Diversity Recruitment.

Community Health Network, Eskenazi Health and Indiana University Health declared in a statement, "As leaders from Community Health Network, Eskenazi Health and Indiana University Health, whose organizations seek to eliminate the systemic racism that disproportionately affects Black and Brown communities, we say without hesitation that we stand united against racism, injustice and inaction."

The school posted on its Facebook page, "In 2021, IU School of Medicine accelerated work to eliminate health care disparities and promote inclusion. As we begin the new year, Dean Hess urges all in our IU School of Medicine community to reaffirm their commitment to anti-racism and health equity and to pursue further learning opportunities, with the goal of translating such opportunities into action."