DEI Collective

The following initiatives reflect our commitment to creating an inclusive environment that supports excellence in psychiatric care, education and research.

Curriculum Development
We plan to enhance our curricula by conducting a thorough review to identify areas for growth, specifically in integrating cultural psychiatry and addressing social and structural determinants of health, alongside mental health inequities. This initiative will result in ongoing updates to educational materials and experiences, ensuring they better support and benefit our trainees.

Grand Rounds
Starting the 2024-25 academic year, we have redesigned our Grand Rounds series to incorporate regular DEI-focused sessions.

Resident Recruitment
We are prioritizing the implementation of the AAMC Holistic Principles in Resident Selection to ensure a diverse, equitable and inclusive recruitment process.

Women’s Advocacy and Mentorship Group
The Women's Advocacy and Mentorship Group aims to advance gender equality in medicine and leadership by providing mentorship, career guidance, and support for female faculty and trainees. The group will empower women in psychiatry to achieve their full potential through a robust network of resources and opportunities. This group will also engage in advocacy efforts related to women's mental health, including access to care, reproductive mental health, trauma and abuse, and more.

PRIME Leadership Education to Advance Diversity – African, Black and Caribbean (PRIME LEAD-ABC)

Program in Medical Education Leadership Education to Advance Diversity - African, Black and Caribbean (PRIME LEAD-ABC) is a UCI School of Medicine mission-based program that produces skilled physician leaders who address the diverse health needs of Black communities, eliminate health inequities and amplify the voices of the underrepresented communities we serve.

Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community (PRIME-LC)

The PRIME-LC program at UCI School of Medicine is a five-year MD/Master’s program committed to training physicians to meet the needs of under-resourced Latino communities.

At the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, our faculty is dedicated to understanding and addressing the unique mental health needs of the diverse populations in Orange County, California. By focusing on the genetic, environmental and social factors that impact mental health across different communities, we aim to develop tailored interventions that promote equitable mental health outcomes. Our commitment to inclusivity ensures that our studies encompass a broad spectrum of cultural, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, reflecting the rich diversity of Orange County and advancing the goal of mental health equity for all.

Below are our goals and principles:

Support Inclusive Research Practices

• Encourage and support research that addresses health disparities and mental health issues in diverse populations.
• Ensure diverse representation in research study populations and consider DEI in research design and analysis.
• Promote collaborations with researchers from diverse backgrounds and institutions.

Engage with the Broader Community and Collaborate with External Partners

• Partner with other departments, institutions, and community organizations and clinics to enhance DEI research efforts.
• Participate in and contribute to broader DEI initiatives within the academic and research community.

Advocate for DEI

• Advocate for policies and practices that promote DEI at the institutional, local and national levels.
• Engage in outreach and community engagement activities that promote mental health equity and inclusion, particularly in underrepresented communities.

From January to December 2023, our Psychiatry Department provided care to 8,237 patients in the outpatient setting and 786 patients in the acute inpatient setting. We have proudly served a diverse patient population encompassing a wide range of racial and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations and gender identities. Following English, the most common languages spoken by our patients are Spanish, Vietnamese and Korean.

UCI School of Medicine Office of Belonging, Equity and Empowerment (BEE)

UCI School of Medicine Diversity Statement and UC Anti-Discrimination Policy