Pediatric Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Mission:

The mission of the UCLA Pediatric Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee is to promote a culture of inclusion and appreciation for diversity across multiple areas, including race/ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and gender in order to enhance patient care, teaching, and research within the Division of Pediatrics.

Objectives:

1. To promote recruitment, retention, professional excellence, and overall well-being among underrepresented residents, fellows, and faculty. To meet this objective we will:
   • Strengthen existing mentoring programs for junior and mid-career faculty to enhance retention, professional growth, and academic success in teaching, research, and patient care
   • Support our residency and fellowship programs in the recruitment of diverse trainees
   • Establish and support a pipeline from premedical and medical students of diverse backgrounds into our residency and fellowship programs
2. To enhance departmental cultural awareness and sensitivity to enrich the services we provide to the diverse communities represented by our patients. To meet this objective we will:
   • Ensure that patient care is equitable and inclusive for patients and families with diverse backgrounds.

Our current goals and activities:

1. Enhance the Department's mentoring programs for junior and mid-level faculty
2. Support our pediatric residency and fellowship programs in recruiting applicants
3. Provide resident and fellow training opportunities and promote discussion on cultural awareness and sensitivity
4. Invite national experts on diversity and cultural awareness and sensitivity to Pediatric Grand Rounds Conferences
5. Utilize opportunities at national meetings, and from UCLA pediatric clinical rotations to expand outreach to and recruitment of students from other medical schools
6. Develop a faculty curriculum and offer training opportunities to teach cultural awareness and sensitivity with fellows, residents, and students

Visiting Elective Scholarship Program

We offer the Visiting Elective Scholarship Program (VESP), which provides financial support to senior U.S. medical students who are traditionally underrepresented in medicine, and who are interested in applying to UCLA for a senior clinical elective.

Behavioral and Wellness Center

Behavioral and Wellness Center (BWC) is committed to supporting your health and healing, both during this challenging time and ongoing as we move together through this movement of change. We continue to witness the pandemic of racism and hate taking the lives of Black, Indigenous, People of Color. We acknowledge that racism and social injustice continue to negatively impact Black lives. BWC is open during regular business hours, providing all services through telehealth, with evening appointments available by request.

Committee Members

 Co-Chairs:

• Chuck Alejos, MD 
• Alma Guerrero, MD, MPH 

Committee Members:

• Michelle Aguilar, MD
• Yvonne Bryson, MD
• Jacqueline Casillas, MD
• Alan Chin, MD
• Abraham Gallegos, MD
• Cambria Garell, MD
• Tatiana Gellein, MD
• Josephine Isabel-Jones, MD 
• Thomas Klitzner, MD
• Alice Kuo, MD, PhD
• Marciana Laster, MD
• James Lee, MD
• Deb Lehman, MD
• Carlos Lerner, MD
• Jessica Lloyd, MD
• Robert Morris, MD
• Andy Newcomer, MD
• Kate Perkins, MD, PhD
• Leigh Reardon, MD
• Moira Szilagyi, MD, PhD
• Peter Szilagyi, MD, MPH
• Valencia Walker, MD, MPH
• Lindsay Wells, MD
• Alice del Rosario
• Megan Fuller
• Gelline Ibarrola

Please contact us for more information:
Pediatric Medical Education Office
310-267-9128
PedsRes@mednet.ucla.edu