Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

The VCU Division for Health Sciences Diversity “aims to diversify the health care workforce through an array of pipeline programs for underrepresented minority students pursuing health sciences careers.”

The School of Medicine's DEI Office plans to "implement AAMC anti-racism and restorative justice frameworks."

The school worked with the undergraduate Office of Health Equity on the History and Health Initiative to conduct a "History and Health Initiative," including "virtual sessions and companion online learning modules that engage learners, faculty, staff, health care providers and community members in conversations regarding racial and health equity."

The School of Medicine hosts Orientation Crucial Conversations which is a “session held during student orientation that addresses issues of racism and discrimination.”

The School of Medicine at VCU has implemented the Inclusive Excellence Education (IExcel) program which is a “series of educational programs that aim to cultivate a diverse, equitable, inclusive and supportive university environment. Courses are available to VCU students, faculty and staff across all schools and departments.”

In an effort to continue building DEI programs and inclusive practices, the VCU School of Medicine commits to “facilitate implementation of the 2021 anti-racism, bias, and DEI curriculum review.”

The Office of Health Equity offers the History and Health initiative in medical education in Racial Equity and Equitable Access to Care that provides credentialing opportunities to satisfy VCU Health System DEI learning requirements.

The VCU Committee on Commemoration and Memorials is an ongoing committee that works to remove from VCU and VCU School of Medicine buildings and grounds the names and symbols that commemorate the Confederacy and to acknowledge and commemorate revolutionary enslaved leaders who fought towards emancipation.

The school created the School of Medicine Inclusion Council in November 2020 to gather "representatives from across our school’s community to create and sustain a structure for school-level dialogue on issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)."

In September 2021, VCU Health unveiled creation of the "Office of Health Equity," whic is "housed in the VCU School of Medicine on MCV campus" and seeks to "identify ways to integrate the principles of health equity into the core missions of the university and health system.”

In 2021, the school released a set of webinar learning modules on Racial Equity.

On January 27, 2023, the University made “resources available for students, faculty members and staff seeking support in the aftermath of the release of the video from the tragic death of Mr. Tyre Nichols.”

On January 13, 2023, the school highlighted several podcasts that were hosted on the topics of racism and DEI.

On December 1, 2022, the school's DEI office is teaming up with the Department of Internal Medicine, the VCU Health Wellness Task Force and the MCV Foundation to host president of the American College of Physicians Dr. Ryan Mire to speak about medical school racism.

Virginia Commonwealth University “commissioned a national expert to lead our efforts to more fully understand the Medical College of Virginia’s connections to the institution of slavery. The report demonstrates that MCV was built and operated using the labor of enslaved people.” Moving forward, the school is working towards an “engaged, inclusive and reflective conversation by creating and providing spaces to engage in processes of racial healing and efforts of reconciliation.”

VCU School of Medicine hosts an annual DEI lecture as “an open dialogue around creating a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment.”

On March 6, 2023, it was announced that “Virginia Commonwealth University’s Office of Health Equity is excited to launch the History and Health; Racial Equity Series.”

It was announced on March 9, 2023 that “the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Group on Student Affairs appointed Donna Jackson, Ed.D., assistant dean for admissions, director of student outreach and inaugural co-chair of the Inclusion Council at VCU School of Medicine, to a three-year term as chair of the National Committee on Student Diversity Affairs (COSDA).”