Medical University of South Carolina

In the summer of 2023, the university published its response to the Supreme Court's decision regarding race-conscious admission policies and stated the following: “MUSC remains committed to our core values and mission. We remain steadfast in our commitment to educating diverse students who will become the health care providers for our state, nation and the world. When we do so, they learn with, from and about one another and grow as competent, independent care team members who are prepared to provide equitable and compassionate health care to the greater diverse communities they serve. Anticipating several outcomes, leaders across the University have been preparing for this possible decision. Nonetheless, it may take time to understand the impact of the ruling fully; we, as always, will continue to proceed in a manner that is consistent with the rule of law."

One of the goals of the Pediatric Health Equity Committee is to "[i]ncrease numbers of URM [Underrepresented in Medicine] resident and fellow physicians in the pediatric GME programs through organized efforts of recruitment of URM candidates."

The Center for Transformation and Change at MUSc offers a Diversity and Inclusion Certificate Program to promote DEI efforts and become Equity and Inclusion Ambassadors.

MUSC offers DEI Trainings and Workshops on Unconscious Bias and how to uncover our unconscious biases and appreciate diversity.

As part of the Diversity Programs, MUSC has a BRIHTE Leadership Academy which is a two year academy to build and retain inclusive and diverse talent.

All MUSC employees are required to complete 4 hours of a mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion training.

The school has a calendar dedicated towards offering Diversity Training sessions.

The GME Office and the Pathway Resources & Inclusive Mentoring and Engagement (PRIME) Division within the Deans Office provides "education on health equity for our residents and fellows as required by ACGME."

The Internal Medicine Residency Program's Health Equity Initiatives include a "microaggressions/upstander seminar during Intern Orientation."

The Training and Intercultural Education Team (Office of Equity) at MUSC is "committed to enhancing inclusive excellence education and professional development" and "offers consultations and internal trainings."

The MUSC Department of Pediatrics Diversity and Inclusion education/training initiatives include the following: "Annual Grand Rounds on DEI," "Lectures on racism in healthcare," and "DEI plan presented during intern orientation, fellow core curriculum & faculty meetings."

MUSC states that its Office of Equity "supports and elevates the tripartite vision, mission and academic priorities, including a focus on elevating the enterprise DEI vision to become the preeminent model for inclusion and equity and setting a national standard among academic health systems/universities," which is "responsible for enhancing DEI professional development and skill sets across the enterprise, helping to increase the retention, recruitment and engagement of the MUSC work force, students, faculty; pipeline development; and onboarding and hiring practices."

The Internal Medicine Residency Program's Health Equity Initiatives include "Inclusive Excellence training requirements for all faculty, trainees, and staff."

The Department of Medicine offers DEI funding programs to students and faculty.

The McClennan-Banks Residents & Fellows Networking Group provides "mentorship of under-represented students, residents, and fellows" and develops "residents’ teaching skills and [increases] resident recruitment to the Medical University of South Carolina."

In order to increase diversity at MUSC, the Department of Graduate Medical Education hosts several programs and initiatives, including the: "GME Inclusive Excellence Committee," "Inclusive Programming for Residents & Fellows," "Resident Diversity Transition Forum" and the "Achieving Health Equity by Advancing Diversity (AHEAD) Visiting Student Program."

The school has a resource page meant to "assist MUSC faculty, students, and staff interested in including teaching materials in the classroom or in personal development." The compilations include "White Fragility" by Robin DiAngelo and "How to Be an Anti-Racist" by Ibram X. Kendi.

Edward Mark Kantor, MD, PA, residency director for psychiatry at MUSC, has "expanded the diversity planning, education, and recruitment efforts for residency training in psychiatry and across the medical specialties."

The Internal Medicine Residency Program's Health Equity Initiatives include the following: "Residents can rotate through our Healthcare Disparities and Advocacy Elective, which involves clinical work at community health sites and promotes engagement in community-based activism."

In 2022, MUSC held its sixth annual Inclusion to Innovation Summit, which is "designed to be a forum for honest and challenging conversations about inclusion and innovation."

As part of the many programs sponsored by the Office of Diversity, the MUSC Department of Surgery sponsors a DEI Speaker Series.

On March 23, 2023, the school highlighted three individuals who were awarded the Earl B Higgins Diversity in Leadership Awards “for their significant contributions to enhancing MUSC’s commitment to diversity through their performance, service and collegiality in the workplace and Lowcountry community.”

The school offers the Real DEIL (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leader) Award Program which works towards “highlighting employees at various levels and in many different areas of MUSC who are owning and sharing DEI work and principles.”

The school has a DEI News Hub.