About

Who We Are

DICP Mission

The mission of the Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Partnership (DICP) is to advance diversity inclusion in health, biomedical, behavioral, and STEM fields that builds individual and institutional capacity to achieve excellence, foster innovation, and ensure equity in health locally, nationally, and globally.

DICP History

Established in 2002, the Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Partnership (originally named Faculty Development and Diversity, est. 1995) promotes the increased recruitment, retention and advancement of diverse faculty, particularly individuals from groups underrepresented in medicine (URM), at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and serves as a hub for all diversity activities involving HMS faculty, trainees, students, and staff.

1990:
Minority Faculty Development Program (MFDP) established within the Office for Faculty Affairs
1995:
Office of Faculty Development and Diversity (FDD) established with MFDP as a component
1996:
Commonwealth Fund/Harvard University Fellowship in Minority Health Policy established, now named as Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Minority Health Policy at Harvard University
1998:
Office for K-12 programs established
1998:
Office for Community Outreach Programs established, with Dr. Joan Y. Reede as Faculty Director
2001:
Oral Health Fellowship in Minority Health Policy initiated, renamed (2005) as Joseph L. Henry Oral Health Fellowship in Minority Health Policy
2002:
Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Partnership (DICP) established with Dr. Joan Y. Reede as first Dean for Diversity and Community Partnership
2006:
Office for K-12 Programs renamed as Office for Educational Outreach
2014:
2017:
HMS Taskforce on Diversity and Inclusion was launched
2020:
Better Together Report released
2021:
Office for Educational Outreach renamed Community Engagement and Education

Who We Are

DICP supports its mission through several, interconnected programs that focus on specific aspects of the career pathway from K-12 to leadership, including attending to points of transitions. Policies and practices are designed to build a culture based on inclusive excellence. 

DICP promotes the increased recruitment, retention and advancement of diverse faculty, particularly
individuals from groups underrepresented in medicine, at HMS and to oversee all diversity
activities involving Harvard Medical School (HMS) faculty, trainees, students and staff.

The Minority Faculty Development Program (est.1990), a component of DICP, sponsors programs for the development of Harvard Medical School faculty and trainees, with an emphasis on mentoring and leadership, as well as programs that are designed to reach out to the pre-college, college, graduate and postdoctoral populations with the goal of bringing outstanding students from groups underrepresented in medicine into the biomedical science pipeline.

Guiding the work of DICP is the framework of the “7C’s”:

  • Continuity: develop K-12 diversity in faculty and leadership positions
  • Consistency: maintain a forward momentum to change institutional climate and culture
  • Collaboration: work with different communities, organizations, departments, and academic fields
  • Creativity: respond and shift our work to reflect changing times
  • Communication: use varied methods, including technology, to communicate with multiple constituencies
  • Consideration: recognize people’s multiple identities and the impact of intersectionality
  • Commitment: integrate diversity efforts systemically at every level of an organization and community

Career Development

DICP supports the career development of junior faculty and fellows; trains leaders in academic medicine and health policy; provides programs that address crucial academic and career pathway issues, and sponsors awards and recognitions that reinforce behaviors and practices that are supportive of diversity, inclusion, mentoring, and faculty development. 

Examples of collaboration include:

Awards

HMS acknowledges excellence in service and the contributions of individuals (faculty, students, trainees and staff) who support the HMS mission and uphold the HMS community values.

Examples of recognition awards include:

Community Partnerships

DICP promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion by partnering with community organizations and HMS-affiliate institutions to provide programs that begin as early as middle school and carry through the postgraduate level.  These include curriculum development, teacher training, opportunities to conduct research, and student and trainee academic and career development, as well as offerings that support community-led efforts.

Example of collaborators include:

  • Boston Public Health Commission
  • Boston Public Schools
  • Health Equity Compact
  • King Boston

Collaborations across Harvard

DICP works closely with HMS and HU offices and committees to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Examples include:

Evaluation and Research

DICP engages in evaluation and research activities focused on issues and questions related to workforce diversity and inclusion in the biomedical sciences that are pertinent to decision-making and strategic action at multiple levels—local, regional and national. To that end, DICP: 

  • Generates knowledge through rigorous, theory-based scientific approaches.
  • Links policy and practice with scientific evidence.
  • Convenes interdisciplinary stakeholders to lend leadership and expertise to its work.