Explore About UsEmbracing Diversity
Our Culture of Belonging
Every individual’s relationship within UConn Health is unique and deserves the utmost respect, understanding, and care. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion goes beyond medical excellence. It’s a promise to create an environment where differences are not only accepted but embraced. Through our culture of belonging, we create a welcoming and safe space for the patients under our care, the UConn Health workforce, and the citizens of Connecticut we serve.
Our Four Pillars of Care
Clinical Enterprise
We work closely with each patient to understand their distinct needs and to engage resources to ensure everyone has equitable access to care. For example, we offer free 24/7 interpreter services for patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) who are deaf, hard of hearing, visually impaired, or have special communication needs. Our mobile-first approach to communications and resources lets you access medical information from your phone; no computer is necessary.
Education
UConn produces the most medical students and dentists in the state, most of whom remain in Connecticut’s health system. Our Graduate Medical Education program’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is central to fostering a culture of collaboration and teamwork, which is why we prioritize maintaining a diverse residency program and workforce. We offer Internal Medicine residents a Health Equity Track to encourage the next generation of leaders, as well as five employee resource groups that address the lived experiences of our residents and fellows.
UConn Health’s extensive range of programs and partnerships further support our efforts. These include:
- Population health initiatives, such as the Husky Nutrition Programs, which strive to decrease disparities in food and nutrition-related conditions and diseases, food security, and food access.
- The UConn School of Medicine’s Visiting Externship for Students Underrepresented in Medicine (VESUM) program, which reflects our long-term drive and effort to reflect the broader community we serve.
Research
Our research and clinical trials address the needs of diverse and underrepresented groups. As academic leaders, we’re helping to spearhead best practices for enrolling patients and subjects from underserved backgrounds. Furthermore, we are committed to ensuring that our established programs accurately reflect the diversity of various groups and populations we serve.
Community Engagement
Health inequities drive health disparities, which persist as a top healthcare issue across our state and the nation. We believe our celebration and wholehearted embrace of diversity and equity are critical to our mission as an anchor institution for the state of Connecticut, positioning us as a role model for other medical institutions to follow.
Our approach hinges on collaborative engagement across the community, fostering co-creative partnerships that extend throughout the state to connect individuals with essential resources, from housing to phone access. It is grounded in the use of disaggregated data sources to drive targeted interventions.
Through the UConn Health Health Disparities Institute, we use data-driven strategies to help eliminate health disparities and advance health equity among Connecticut's minority and medically underserved populations.
Medical and dental students at UConn also spend time throughout the year helping with screenings, awareness events, celebrations, and moments of recognition. Urban Service Track students also go on-site to improve access to basic care and other UConn Health resources through the Connecticut Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Network. Together, these programs are crucial in elevating our state’s health and diversity standards.