SIU Med School’s Diversity Week Explores Hot-button Topics

Gender bias, politics, physician addiction to be discussed

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine invites the public to a week of free, thought-provoking lectures and panels on Oct. 24 – 28 in honor of its annual Diversity Enrichment Week.

“This week isn’t simply a reminder to celebrate the diversity of our organization,” said Wesley Robinson-McNeese, MD, associate dean for diversity and inclusion at SIU School of Medicine. “It’s a way for those of us in the medical education field to be called to higher, more vigorous efforts to diversify our campus communities.”

The School’s faculty, as well as experts from across the region, will meet to discuss health care and diversity issues from multiple perspectives. The week’s topics include:

Half a Century Later, a panel discussion on gender issues and pay gaps with SIU’s Cary Cheffy, Susan Hingle, MD, Vidya Prakash, MD, Kari Wolf, MD, and Patty Young

Attitudes of Caregivers toward Patients with Mental Illness, an SIU panel including medical student Jeala Barnett, Susan Hingle, MD, Ruta Kulys, Obiora Onwuameze, MD, and Laura Shea, MD

Challenges in US Medical Education for Non-native English Speakers, featuring SIU’s Fernando Aguirre, MD, MEDPREP student Madeline De La Cruz, Franziska Huettner, MD, and medical student Aileen Portugal

Populations, Politics and Polarization, academic and media insights on state budget pressures and their social impacts from Ivan Moreno, Associated Press; James Nowlan, PhD, Stark County Communications; Magic Wade, PhD, University of Illinois Springfield; Charlie Wheeler, UIS; and Jamey Dunn-Thomason, Illinois Issues

How Addiction Affects Physicians: You Might Be Too Smart to Get Sober, David Lockhart, MD, Blessing Hospice and Palliative Care, Quincy

All lectures will be held from noon – 1 p.m., Monday through Friday, in the South Auditorium, 801 N. Rutledge and simulcast to Lindegren 310 and Wheeler 104 in Carbondale. Participants who register to attend before Oct. 17 will receive a complementary lunch following the lecture. To learn more about Diversity Enrichment Week or register for an event, please contact Nancy Travis at ntravis@siumed.edu (217-545-2227) or Jen Long at jlong2@siumed.edu (217-545-1500). In Carbondale, contact Andrea Miller at amiller68@siumed.edu (618-453-1555).