Student-Led Taskforces Educate on Diversity and Inclusion Coinciding with the start of the new year, the Student Diversity and Inclusivity (D&I) Taskforces hosted the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Summit, a four-part series covering topics such as religious inclusion and transgender medicine. Beginning with the first session, "Student Panel of Experiences," students shared their personal experiences with DEIB and discussed topics ranging from the barriers that exist for lower-income individuals and how those individuals could overcome them, to what aspects of healthcare LGBTQ+ people may face that could lead to their distrust of the medical system. Afterwards, they discussed changes the community could make to further support DEIB, one of them being participating in dialogue that "helps facilitate critical reflection of our own biases," says Melissa Jimenez, OMS II, one of the students leading the D&I Taskforce. The second part of the DEIB series, a digital webinar focused on how best to provide equitable and inclusive healthcare for the LGBTQ+ community, took place on February 7. The session featured lessons led by Dr. Robyn Boudreau and Linda Stay, the Development Director at Switchpoint Community Resource Center. The third part of the Summit series, "Politicization of Race," which took place on March 21, featured Dr. Carolyn Ash, a Senior Student Life Director at College Track Aurora. The fourth part of the series, "Religious Diversity," will take place later this semester.
Advocacy in Action On February 2, the Utah State Capitol opened its doors to medical students as part of Doctors Day, sponsored by the Utah Medical Society. The students were introduced formally in the Utah State Senate chambers to the Senators and received a rousing welcome. At a luncheon with Utah physicians and key legislators, RVUCOM students were briefed on three House bills— Optometrist Practice Amendments (H.B. 224), Medication Dispenser Amendments (H.B. 301), and the Utah Medical Candor Act (H.B. 344)—and two Senate Bills— Children’s Health Coverage Amendment (S.B. 158) and the Anesthesiologist Assistant Licensing Act (S.B. 121). The bills ranged in topics from a Medicaid expansion for children in the state to provisions for physicians to dispense legal drugs from their practices. Afterward, students further received a behind-the-scenes look of the legislative process by visiting with various committees discussing all five bills. Pictured at top right, on the steps leading to the Supreme Court: (front row) Dr. Thomas N. Told; Rakael Brown, OMS III; Kristin Kopystynsky, OMS III; Shannon McKim, OMS III; and, Dr. Noel Nye, President of the Utah Medical Society; (back row) Will ByrneQuinn, OMS III; Julian Ortiz, OMS III; Elliott Davis, OMS III. Not pictured: Adam Berry, OMS II; Lawsen Parker, OMS II.
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