Creating a Culture of Belonging: Perceptions and Experiences of Inclusion at a US Medical School

Medical schools play a significant role in cultivating an inclusive health system. In 2019, the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine was ranked as the 6th best graduate school in the U.S. for Diversity when the Racial Justice Report Card assigned this institution lowest grade possible. To better understand perceptions of inclusivity among students, faculty, and staff, a campus-wide evaluation was conducted. A mixed-methods survey was administered to query perceptions of on-campus discrim-ination and overall campus climate. In addition to multiple choice items, participants were invited to detail their experiences in an open-ended format. Among 1,612 re-spondents, the majority were women (67%) over the age of 60-years (60%). Two-thirds of respondents were staff, 20% faculty, and 12% students. Quantitative analyses showed significant associations among race, gender, and perception of campus cli-mate. Three major themes emerged from analysis of the open-ended items: (1) inclu-sion & belonging; (2) upward mobility; and (3) the minority tax. A lacking sense of be-longing was reported across all demographic groups, with Black respondents express-ing the ‘minority tax’ was disproportionately imposed, burdening them with the un-compensated task of fostering an inclusive culture. Results demonstrate the value of U.S. Medical Schools’ assessing the cultural climate to yield findings that guide devel-opment and implementation of institutional strategies that advance an inclusive cul-ture. Progress evaluations from external reviewers would further support future inclu-sivity-enhancement efforts and may ultimately lead to an improved cultural climate at U.S. medical schools.