About the CU PM&R Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

 

Welcome to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion webpage for the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

 

CU PM&R is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of our clinical, academic, and service work. We recognize that diversity encompasses differences in race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, and political beliefs.

 

In alignment with the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation's (AAPM&R) Diversity and Inclusion Statement, we strive to create a culture that is inclusive and respectful of all individuals, where all members feel valued, respected, and supported. This includes not just promoting diversity but also actively working to eliminate discrimination, bias, and disparities in our department.

 

Our department also follows the University of Colorado School of Medicine Diversity Plan, which aims to increase the diversity of the medical student body, faculty, and staff, and to foster an inclusive environment where all members feel respected and valued.

 

Our CU PM&R Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee is dedicated to implementing these goals through:

  • Supporting DEI initiatives at PM&R to promote more inclusivity within the department.
  • Advancing DEI at PM&R by highlighting ongoing education and training opportunities, or sponsoring educational programs to promote diversity.
  • Advising PM&R leadership concerning inclusive employee and trainee recruitment, hiring, retention, and promotion efforts within our department.

 

Collectively, we will strive to ensure that our patients receive culturally appropriate, quality medical care. Together, we can create a more inclusive and equitable environment for our patients, faculty, and staff.

Members of Committee:

  • Michael Harris-Love, PT, MPT, DSc, FGSA, FAPTA (Chair)
  • Zachary Arcona, PsyD
  • Catharine Johnston-Brooks, PhD
  • Alison Colbert, PhD
  • David Coons, MD
  • Scott Laker, MD
  • Adele Meron, MD
  • William Niehaus, MD
  • Zachary Noriega, MPA

The committee is aided by the consultation of our Advisory Group, Krista Walker, PhD (DEI training consultation), and Olawunmi Ogunwo, JD, PHR (HR/legal consultation).

 

Aspire Banner

PM&R and the ASPIRE Challenge: The National Alliance for Inclusive & Diverse STEM Staff

The INCLUDES project (Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science) is an NSF-funded initiative to promote the recruitment, hiring, and retention of STEM faculty from underrepresented groups.

The INCLUDES project has recently evolved into an alliance called, “Aspire: The National Alliance for Inclusive & Diverse STEM Faculty”. The NSF INCLUDES Aspire Alliance is broadly pursuing strategic goals focused on faculty:

 

  • Preparation of STEM faculty to be more inclusive and effective in their teaching, research mentoring, and advising
  • Effectively recruiting, hiring, and retaining underrepresented STEM faculty and transforming practices
  • Developing and supporting policies, and resources to support these efforts

The Aspire Alliance program assessment process aims to deepen our understanding about the strategies and conditions that support increasing inclusivity and diversity in STEM departments and programs (which includes medicine). The PM&R DEI Committee has recommended that our department engage in the Aspire Alliance program assessment process.


Black History Month 2024 Student Spotlight - February 8, 2024

Get to Know: Makayla Callendar

Feb 8, 2024

Get to Know: Makayla Callendar
Story by Abigail Castro

Makayla Callendar is a first-year Physical Therapy student. Makayla decided to become a physical therapist because she wanted a career in healthcare that allows her to spend a lot of time with patients and facilitate care based on their goals. "PT combines my love of movement and passion for helping people by giving me the skills to help others find freedom moving their bodies in ways that functionally fit their lives and goals," she says.

Makayla was drawn to CUPT by the opportunities it offers for active learning and close collaboration with faculty, as well as its student community whose diverse backgrounds and experiences allow for even more learning opportunities. She appreciates being able to explore multiple different avenues for her career through research, special interests groups and community outreach.

"I have been very privileged to grow up having my main health providers be women of color," Makayla says. "As a result, I was prepared to identify and not accept when I felt uncomfortable, ignored, or discredited by other providers. Those women inspired me to be that for other people. In doing so, my future patients will know that there are people in the field who look like them, will be considerate of the intersection of their identity and health needs, and know they don’t have to settle for bad experiences in healthcare."

Makayla considers Black History Month to be a time of reflection. She often thinks back on how the careers and actions of her own physicians provided her with privileges that they likely did not have. Looking forward, she thinks about what she can do to continue to improve the state of healthcare for current and future patients of color. But she's not waiting until she graduates to try to make a difference. "I am Class President, and I have joined White Coats for Black Lives," she says. "Taking on these roles helps me feel more connected to my program and the campus. But truthfully, it has been initiatives that I have done in my capacity as just a student, like leading a community discussion on race and identity and presenting on the socioeconomic implications of tension alopecia for black women, that have made me feel like I can really make a difference as a future clinician."

Pursuing a career in medicine is not easy, Makayla notes. Though it takes commitment and hard work, she encourages interested people of color to take on the challenge. "Lean on your support systems, learn from your challenges, and celebrate even the smallest of wins," she says. "Most importantly, do not be afraid to advocate for yourself and know that you deserve to be where you are."

Black History Month 2024 Resident Spotlight

Get to know Dr. Adedayo Balogun

Zachary Noriega, MPA | Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation/CU School of Medicine Feb 1, 2024
Photo of Dr. Balogun.

Get to Know: Dr. Adedayo Balogun

What made you want to pursue a career in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation? 
As a medical student, I had a wide and varied interest in all of my different clinical rotations. I had a strong interest in the musculoskeletal system, and the neurological and neuroanatomy courses. When I was exposed to a PM&R rotation, it was the first rotation that I felt completely in tune with the physicians that were present. It helped address all of the most important aspects of a person’s healthcare, and took into account all aspects of a person’s experience when taking part in their care.  

How has the CU PM&R residency program allowed you to pursue your goals? 
This residency program has so far allowed me to cultivate my experience and independence in different rehabilitation settings and learn how to navigate the different barriers and challenges that patients face routinely. I've been exposed to many different versions of being a PM&R physician, and I have had the ability to explore these different areas in a way that I can prepare myself for life after residency.

What is your “why”? 
My “why” is always to bring the best care to as many people that I can first and foremost. I want to be able to deliver that same care to people that have historically been overlooked, and taken advantage of as well. I aspire to provide patients that may not always feel seen or heard to understand that I’m taking their concerns to heart, and I understand the perspective that many of their other care providers may not. I also strive to be a positive example for others who may look like me or identify with me. I want to be more than an example, but a support system for those coming after me.  

February is a month to honor and celebrate Black leaders. What does this mean for you? 
Black History Month is an opportunity to take a step back and reflect on the ways that black people have contributed to the world. We have been leaders for change and equity, leaders in science, health care, ingenuity and all aspects of life. Being a leader, to me is about being accountable. I think that having priorities, morals, and standards, and holding strong to those values is all that it takes to be a leader.  

What leadership role(s) have you taken up and what impact have they had on you and your time in medical school or residency? As a medical student I took part in my school's Student National Medical Association (SNMA) chapter. As president of this chapter, we had a hand in reaching out to the community for other people to understand that becoming a physician was attainable, finishing school and going to the college opened plenty of doors, and providing support and guidance for undergraduate students that had an interest in going to medical school.  

Being a physician inherently occupies a leadership role. As a physiatrist, we regularly take part in team meetings, where we discuss patients with PT’s, OT’s, RN’s, social workers, case managers, and speech therapists. Sometimes, being a leader is understanding how the team functions most effectively, other times it’s trusting your teammates to their expertise and simply providing an overall team goal for everyone to strive towards.  

What words of encouragement do you have to share with future students of color pursuing careers in healthcare?
The words of encouragement that I have for those students would be to always show up and be yourself. You have a unique experience and perspective that matters, and never let fear of failure keep you from trying something that you are passionate about. Do your best to surround yourself with people that you admire and have similar goals as yourself. Not competitors, but people who will lift you up with them. These are the people that you’ll grow the closest to both professionally and personally.


Fall Heritage, History and Identity Observances:

Learn more about holidays, heritage, history, and identity observances, and corresponding events throughout the year.

September 15-October 15: National Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month
September 16-23: Bisexual Awareness Week
October: National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October: National Italian-American Heritage Month
October: Filipino-American History Month
October: Polish-American History Month
October: LGBT History Month
October 11: National Coming Out Day
October 16: Pronouns Day
October 20-26: Asexual/Ace Week
October 26: Intersex Awareness Day
November: National American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month
November: Black Catholic History Month
November 3: Transgender Parent Day
November 8: Intersex Day of Solidarity
November 13-19: Transgender Awareness Week
November 20: Transgender Day of Remembrance

Fall Health Awareness:

September: National Suicide Prevention Month
September: Blood Cancer Awareness Month
September: Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
September: Healthy Aging Month
September: National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month
September: National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
September: National Cholesterol Education Month
September: National Food Safety Education Month
September: National ITP Awareness Month
September: National Head Lice Prevention Month
September: National Recovery Month
September: National Sickle Cell Awareness Month
September: Newborn Screening Awareness Month
September: Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
September: Pain Awareness Month
September: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Month
September: Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
September: Sepsis Awareness Month
September: Sexual Health Awareness Month
September: World Alzheimer's Month
September 8-14: National Folic Acid Awareness Week
September 10: World Suicide Prevention Day
September 13: National Celiac Disease Awareness Day
September 18: National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day
September 28: World Rabies Day
September 29: World Heart Day
October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October: Domestic Violence Awareness Month
October: Eye Injury Prevention Month
October: Health Literacy Month
October: Healthy Lung Month
October: Home Eye Safety Month
October: Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month
October: National ADHD Awareness Month
October: National Bullying Prevention Month
October: National Dental Hygiene Month
October: National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
October: National Physical Therapy Month
October: Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
October: Prenatal-Onset GBS Disease Recognition Month
October: Spina Bifida Awareness Month
October: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month
October 6: World Cerebral Palsy Day
October 6-12: Mental Illness Awareness Week
October 7: Trigeminal Neuralgia Awareness Day
October 10: World Mental Health Day
October 10: World Sight Day
October 12: World Arthritis Day
October 12-20: Bone and Joint Health National Action Week
October 13: Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day
October 14-20: International Infection Prevention Week
October 15: Global Handwashing Day
October 15: National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day
October 16: World Food Day
October 16-20: National Health Education Week
October 18: National Mammography Day
October 19: World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day
October 20-26: National Healthcare Quality WeekOctober 20-26: Respiratory Care Week
October 22: International Stuttering Awareness Day
October 29: World Psoriasis Day
November: American Diabetes Month
November: Bladder Health Month
November: National COPD Awareness Month
November: Diabetic Eye Disease Month
November: Lung Cancer Awareness Month
November: National Epilepsy Awareness Month
November: National Healthy Skin Month
November: National Hospice and Palliative Care Month
November: National Stomach Cancer Awareness Month
November: Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
November: Prematurity Awareness Month
November 1: National Brush Day
November 12: World Pneumonia Day
November 17: World Prematurity Day
November 19-25: GERD Awareness Week
November 21: Great American Smokeout
November 23: International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day
November 28: National Family Health History Day

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