Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

A Message from the Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 

On behalf of the Department of Medicine Office of Faculty Development, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Columbia University.

The mission of the office is to promote a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion across the entire Department of Medicine, now and for the future, by identifying, attracting, and maintaining underrepresented individuals that embody the Department’s core values of excellence in medical education, patient care, biomedical research, and community service.

We strive to make sure that our underrepresented minority trainees and faculty feel a sense of belonging, support, appreciation, and respect for who they are. We achieve this through concrete initiatives that originate from each sub-specialty Division’s diversity, equity, and inclusion committees under the guidance of the Departmental committee. These initiatives include mentoring, advocacy, pipeline programs, community service, lecture series, support groups, and accountability measures.

Our residency program is the premier pipeline to our fellowship and faculty recruitment efforts. In addition to training our residents to become competent in the diagnosis and management of complex medical situations, we also want our residents to be competent in promoting equitable, compassionate, and respectful care to all our patients in the communities we serve.

With the support of the leadership of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York Presbyterian Hospital, and the Department of Medicine, diversity, equity and inclusion are becoming an integral part of the systems, structures, and culture of the Department and institution as a whole.

We believe that you will find our residency program both academically and culturally fulfilling.

Christopher Irobunda, MD, PhD
Jim Ovia Associate Professor of Cardiology
Vice Chair, Faculty Development, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Department of Medicine

Explore Our Resident Affinity Groups

Our program proudly supports a range of resident affinity groups designed to foster community and advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. Each group aims to create a supportive and inclusive environment for residents and faculty from a variety of different backgrounds.