Better Together

Better Together Revisited

In early 2017, newly appointed HMS Dean George Q. Daley convened the Harvard Medical School Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion (TFDI). Joan Y. Reede, Dean for the Office for Culture and Community Engagement, was appointed chair of a 36-member TFDI, which was composed of faculty, students, trainees, fellows, staff, and administrators from HMS and its affiliated hospitals and research institutions. 

The Task Force met 15 times from February 2017 to May 2019. To gather feedback from members of the HMS community and foster open dialogue, the Task Force also organized Town Halls, listening sessions, focus groups, multiple subcommittees focused on key issues, and an online portal for submission of questions and suggestions. This work resulted in a comprehensive report, which has served as a roadmap for building an inclusive community committed to excellence in teaching, learning, and research, and ensuring that every member feels a sense of belonging and can thrive – HMS Better Together. 

 

Better Together Themes Revisited: 

Theme 1: Build Community and Belonging

  1. Improve well-being of HMS faculty, trainees, students and staff

  2. Promote a climate of collaboration and cooperation

  3. Provide time, space and organization for building communities within community

  4. Enhance outreach and in-reach with our local, national and global communities

Theme 2: Address Culture and Communication

  1. Create space for safe, respectful dialogue

  2. Promote an inclusive environment, including images, naming, and accessibility 

  3. Develop searchable shared resources that build and reinforce connections

  4. Provide accessible, inclusive, useful websites

  5. Embed inclusion and pluralism messaging in communications

Theme 3: Develop People and Infrastructure

  1. Identify, nurture and educate leaders who champion HMS community values

  2. Sponsor pathway programming, targeting the broadest possible pool of exceptional talent

  3. Provide resources that enhance the sense of inclusion and belonging for all faculty, trainees, students, and staff

  4. Support efforts that address health disparities and social justice

Theme 4: Hold Accountable and Generate Knowledge

  1. Monitor and track outcomes

  2. Endorse continuous quality improvement principles for programming

  3. Incorporate evidence-based decision making that leads to tangible change

  4. Promote transparency

  5. Generate new knowledge that informs workforce and leadership efforts and has local and national impact