Department of Anesthesiology

Participation in existing pipelines to increase matriculation into UNC Anesthesiology.

Dr. Nichols participated in a). SNMA Residency Fair and b). Carollina First Look, where she met with URM candidates, kept in contact with them, advised them during the interview process, and advocated for them

Person/Dept Responsible: UNC OIE

Working with another URM faculty colleague on departmental DEI Committee to try to increase URM selection of Anesthesiology as a career, utilizing resources, such as alumni and community anesthesiologists to facilitate shadowing opportunities for URM undergraduates.

Idea is a work in progress

Person/Dept Responsible: UNC OIE

Early outreach from URM faculty and residents AND faculty and resident DEI Cmte. members with URM students about Anesthesiology as a career.

URiM faculty members and faculty DEI Cmte. Members can outreach with SNMA, LMSA, IMSA, and Anesthesiology Interest Group

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Cmte.

Encourage participation of Faculty DEI Cmte. Members as SOM interviewers and/or UNC SOM Admissions Cmte. members

4 faculty DEI Cmte. members are currently SOM interviewers and/or SOM Admissions Cmte. members

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Cmte.

Encourage that every Anesthesiology URM trainee has a URM faculty mentor.

Work in progress. Anesthesiology URM trainees and faculty contacted about the status of their mentorship.

Dr. Nichols has two official URM resident mentees. They have been emailed study materials and best practices for studying for the annual in-training examination.

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Cmte.

To have adequate diverse representation on various selection committees (eg. Residency and fellowship)

Email sent encouraging all DEI cmte. members to be on requisite selection committees.

A new faculty member (from DEI Committee) was added to the residency recruitment committee (which is appointed). Two DEI faculty members are part of the Pediatric AnesthesiologyFellowship Recruitment Committee.

Commitment to send 1-2 residents and 1 faculty member to AMEC per year to recruit URM residents.

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Cmte.

To increase the environment of inclusivity particularly during recruitment season

Dr. Nichols sent the NEJM Article, “Interviewing while black” to the heads of the Residency Recruitment Committee in preparation for mindfulness of candidates’ experiences particularly during interview season.

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Cmte.

Personal email outreach from Dr. Nichols and/or other Faculty DEI Cmte. Members to prospective residency or fellowship candidates (esp. if unable to meet them on interview day)

DEI Cmte. Will obtain names and email addresses of URM candidates for committee members to email.

All departmental recruitment committees will also engage with any appropriate regional and/or national organizations that promotes qualified members from underrepresented or marginalized groups in an effort to recruit them to our department. Pre-determined metrics will need to be met within a 3-5 year time period and will be reviewed at a time interval set by School of Medicine.

Each selection or recruitment committee (Eg. Faculty, Fellowship, Residency, CRNA, Anesthesia Tech, Staff, Research) will be subject to and maintain yearly metrics regarding:

a) Exact recruitment methods used to identify candidates

b) Number of applicants who self-identify as members of underrepresented or marginalized groups

c) Number of interviewed candidates who self-identify as members of underrepresented or marginalized groups

d) Number of hired candidates who self-identify as members of underrepresented or marginalized groups

With a goal of directly reflecting the population of North Carolina in each group as per the UNC SOM Strategic Plan, Forward Together.

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Cmte.

 To increase diversity in CRNA pool.

Dr. Nichols personally discussed ways to increase URM representation amongst CRNAs at UNC.with one of the visiting student nurse anesthetists from Duke, which could serve as a natural pipeline for us. This discussion included outreach with some of the NC HBCUs nursing programs, as well as some of the nursing other programs at local universities and community colleges.

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Cmte.

To increase the success of Anesthesia techs, increase anesthesia tech ability to evaluate each other and their management.

Also, include regular outreach from DEI Cmte. to the Anesthesia Tech faculty liaison.

Increased engagement with CRNA DEI Cmte members in the CRNA recruitment process and renewed vigor around revitalizing and bolstering the CRNA recruitment Cmte.

Encourage CRNA participation in diversitycrna.org to increase departmental visibility to URM candidates

Outreach with Healthcare system DEI leadership about departmental goals to increase diversity of CRNA candidates

Discussed need for Anesthesia Tech evaluation system with ACA and Anesthesia Tech Faculty Liaison

Integration of anesthesia tech needs into our DEI goals

Members of each requisite group should be allowed to participate in the selection process for that group.

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Cmte.

VDDEI will speak at upcoming Grand Rounds.

Invited speakers: Dr. Nate Thomas (July 2020)

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Cmte.

Departmental Implicit Bias Training.

Invited speakers: Dr. Ashalla Freeman (August 2020)—BIAS 101

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Cmte.

Safe Zone Training.

Safe Zone scheduled for 3/1-2, 2021

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Cmte.

DEI Committee has increased awareness about other cultures, religions, gender expression, sexual orientation, with monthly emails.

Since November of 2019, I have been sending out at least monthly emails that contain special cultural, religious, and/or ethnic observances during that month. Some months have multiple emails.

Monthly emails turned into a newsletter in 2020

Person/Dept Responsible: Kim Nichols/Anes DEI Cmte.

Improved educational opportunities by asking for allocated educational time for DEI efforts.

I have asked our acting chair, chair (redeployed), Program Director and Associate Program Director for TWO Grand Rounds sessions per year—commensurate with the Dept. Of Surgery. Sessions for 2020-2021 include: 1). ,Health Disparities reslated to COVID-19 (by VDDI) and 2). BIAS 101

Credit will now also be given for participation in DEI Cmte., as well as DEI lectures or discussions as part of annal faculty review.

Encouragement to obtain DEI certificate

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Committee (Anesthesiology) Department to keep metrics

Continue Table Talks.

Table Talks is a small group discussion series started on June 8 and June 11, 2020 (after SOM Townhall) regarding internal dept. Culture and racial relations, as well as national civil unrest related to police brutality and systemic racism. We have held sessions in June, July, August, October, and November. Sessions have been on “Getting to know one another”, Implicit Bias, identity, and the notion of race. These have been Facilitated by members of departmental DEI and Wellness Cmtes.

Upcoming sessions will be open to other departments by invitation

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Cmte/Wellness Cmte

Include a link on SharePoint for people to contact our DEI group re: mistreatment.

Llink designed by two DEI Cmte. members. It is awaiting review for inclusion on the departmental Sharepoint website.

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Cmte; Anesthesiology IT

Taking time to foster relationships within the department.

Intentional community building through story-telling in Table Talks.

Also, review of DEI materials and subsequent discussion during Table Talks

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Cmte—partnering with Wellness Cmte.

Complete departmental climate survey.

Several members of my departmental DEI Cmte. And I devised a climate survey (May-June 2020) based on an amalgamation of other similar surveys. Survey completed by 123 departmental members (31% participation) and was evaluated and analyzed by Don Pathman, MD of the Shep Center.

Departmental Survey Findings were discussed with the departmental leadership in a townhall format on 10/23/2020

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Cmte/VDDEI/Assoc. Dean for IE/Kim Nichols

Facilitation of DEI training for all departmental leadership.

All Chairpersons, Vice Chairpersons, Division Chiefs, Residency/Fellowship Program Directors, heads of selection committees, etc. will be required to complete an interactive Implicit Bias Training Session through UNC (i.e. not an LMS module) once every 3 years. Also, training through the Racial Equity Institute (REI) will need to occur in the initial 3 year time period.

Person/Dept Responsible: SOM Data

Promotion of transparency around opportunities and fostering the success and retention of all department members.

The Department of Anesthesiology will actively work to retain employees amongst the different groups by:

a) Making sure to share opportunities that could lead to further training and career advancement widely (not just those considered the “best fit) i.e. leadership conferences and development programs

b) Making concerted efforts to nominate interested members of underrepresented groups for national committees and initiatives—not just those focused on issues related to diversity

c) Promoting a culture that facilitates a sense of belonging Senior leadership within the Department of Anesthesiology will consistently message and demonstrate publicly to the department that they are committed to the establishment and maintenance of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce and environment. Further, it should be explicitly stated and posted throughout the department that the department has a zero tolerance policy for any individuals who cannot comply with the maintenance of such an environment.

Senior leadership in the Department of Anesthesiology will ensure equitable opportunities for mentorship and sponsorship of underrepresented department members of all groups.

DEI Committee should be given a platform at faculty meetings and/or other gatherings of department members should the need arise to discuss upcoming events or trainings.

Person/Dept Responsible: Departmental leadership

Creation of DEI curriculum.

Diversity liaison has created a curriculum of at least 8 months of a systematic structure of DEI discussion topics (including pre-discussion assignments and resources to access.

Person/Dept Responsible: Kim Nichols/DEI Cmte.

DEI Cmte. Participation in trainings (especially REI).

Encouraged DEI committee members to participate in on-campus and off-campus trainings and to obtain DEI certificate.

**cost prohibitive for some DEI cmte. members

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Cmte.

Get a Departmental DEI statement on the website.

Anesthesiology departments surveyed nationally re: presence of DEI statement. Based on this, several members of our committee and I drafted a departmental DEI statement; I submitted it and discussed it with my acting chair about its placement on the website.

Person/Dept Responsible: Kim Nichols & DEI Committee

Inclusion of departmental, SOM, and local DEI information on website.

Re-design of departmental website to include information and education about Diversity and inclusion, as well as available trainings.

Person/Dept Responsible: Kim Nichols & DEI Committee

Discussion about the role, relevance, and importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with departmental leadership.

Co-facilitated a town hall on 10/13/2020 about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiion for Anesthesiology Dept. leadership.

Person/Dept Responsible: Kim Nichols & DEI Committee

Plan to invite other departments to Table Talks to facilitate robust discussion around crucial conversations related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Invited PM&R, EM, and Psychiatry members to our next Table Talks discussion in December 2020.

Will continue to invite other departments by interest

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI Cmte; and Diversity Liaisons from other departments

Dr. Nichols participates in the Relational Leadership Institute at Carolina program, an inter-professional learning collaborative that helps to build community, help healthcare teams fix problems, and promote relational leadership skills.

Diversity Liaison (Dr. Nichols) is helping to create curricular content for an RLI at Carolina Booster Session on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Identity in Dec. 2020

Dr. Nichols lectured and facilitated a panel discussion with Em Trambert-Kylstra, MS4 to the Academy of Educators on “Bias and Mistreatment” on 9/23/2020

Person/Dept Responsible: Dr. Nichols

Lectures to SOM or other community organization.

Dr. Nichols will lead a discussion on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to the NC Society of Anesthesiologists on Dec. 6., 2020

Person/Dept Responsible: Dr. Nichols

Outreach across the state—particularly in underserved, under-resourced, and underrepresented communities.

Plan to outreach and network with URiM alumni on ways that the most underrepresented and underserved areas in NC can have visits from alumni, SOM, physicians, or other representatives from UNC SOM

Held the beginnings of this discussion on 11/19/2020 with some URM UNC SOM alumni

Person/Dept Responsible: Dr. Nichols;UNC SOM Alumni Committee