UCI/CHOC Health Equity, Anti-Racism, Trauma-informed care (HEARTi) Program Home Education Department Programs Education: Department Programs > HEARTi Cultivating Diversity The UCI School of Medicine is committed to supporting the AAMC's efforts to "cultivate a diverse and culturally prepared workforce, advance inclusion excellence, imbue equity-mindedness, and enhance engagement with local communities." To that effect, the UCI School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics and UCI/CHOC Pediatric Residency Program created a unique opportunity that complements existing elective clerkships offered to fourth-year medical students. As part of the clinical rotations, there will be a focus on Health Equity, Anti-Racism, and Trauma-informed clinical care. Program Goals The overall goals of the HEARTi program are: To increase medical student knowledge and awareness of topics related to health equity, anti-racism, and trauma-informed care and their impact on child health and clinical care. To provide a safe and supportive environment for reflection about how to provide responsive care with cultural humility. Program Description The HEARTi program will consist of weekly sessions designed to: Enhance student awareness of topics pertinent to health equity, anti-racism, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Strengthen students’ abilities to address child and family health needs by fostering a supportive care environment and mitigating the risk of re-traumatizing encounters, particularly for patients from minoritized and under-resourced communities. Provide focused career mentorship. Visiting students apply for the existing electives (such as Acting internships/SubI rotation) through the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) portal and must also complete the program application. UCI students also have the opportunity to participate by completing the program application. Students will be expected to fulfill the requirements of the primary elective for which they have registered and attend educational workshops (2 hours/week) related to training about HEARTi topics. Each student will also be matched with a HEARTi mentor and expected to meet with that mentor at least twice during their participation in the program. All HEARTi student scholars will meet one on one with the Program Director of the UCI/CHOC Pediatric Residency Program. Who should apply? Fourth-year medical students from accredited medical schools who are interested in applying to pediatrics are eligible to apply to the HEARTi program. Individuals who have demonstrated service and commitment to addressing health equity, and who identify as being underrepresented in medicine (UIM) and/or who have backgrounds or lived experiences that would diversify the pediatric workforce are encouraged to apply. Course Requirements Students must fulfill the elective requirements as outlined in the clerkship description. For example, if the student applies to be an Acting Intern or SubI on the inpatient ward, the student must fulfill the required duties. In addition, the student will spend 2 hours per week in seminars/workshops to learn and reflect on HEARTi topics. Each student will be matched to a mentor and will meet with the mentor at the beginning and the end of the rotation. Application Information Due Date for This Application July 15, 2024 Who can apply Students must be in their final year of medical school at the time of the rotation and in good standing. Fourth-year medical students with demonstrated service and commitment to addressing health equity are encouraged to apply. How to apply If you are interested in this program, you will need to: Apply for the subspecialty elective* through VSLO (if you are a visiting student). Complete the supplemental application of interest for the HEARTi Program. Program Application * The choice of subspecialty elective will be made according to the student’s interest and in conjunction with the department, depending on the availability of that elective and the completion of required application information. The following electives are eligible to be complemented with the 2-hour weekly HEARTi curriculum. Acting intern or SubI at Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) Ambulatory Pediatrics at UCI Family Health Center clinics NICU at UCI Medical Center Infectious Diseases at CHOC Child Abuse and Neglect at diverse sites Program Dates Dates of Elective October 7, 2024 – Nov 1, 2024 Duration of Elective 4 Weeks Credit Students will receive a grade and credit for the rotation based on their performance on the elective. Participation in the HEARTi program does not calculate into the grade for the rotation, but participation may be acknowledged in their evaluation for tracking purposes. Health Equity, Anti-Racism, Trauma-Informed (HEARTi) Medical Student Stipend Stipend Up to an approximately $3000 stipend is awarded to qualified non-UCI students to cover the costs of living expenses. Contact Information Candice Taylor Lucas, MD, MPH Program Director Hillary Zieve, MD Program Co-Director Behnoosh Afghani, MD Program Co-Director For questions about the program, please contact Dr. Behnoosh Afghani at bafghani@hs.uci.edu.