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AAP Bulletin Winter 2009

Diversity and Cultural Competence Caucus Meets at the AAP Annual Meeting

Francis Lu, MD, 11/30/2009


Diversity and Cultural Competence Caucus Meets at the AAP Annual Meeting

 

At the AAP Annual Meeting on October 2, a new Diversity and Cultural Competence Caucus was convened by Joan Anzia, Toi Harris, and Francis Lu.  About 15 attendees met and decided to work toward developing this ongoing caucus for the following mission: 1) To recruit, retain, and promote culturally diverse and underrepresented academic psychiatrists so as to increase their representation in both AAP and academic psychiatry, and 2) To foster cultural competence in medical students, residents and fellows, faculty, and staff of academic psychiatry departments so as to reduce mental health disparities.

 

Immediate projects included AAP Bulletin submissions, a submission for the 2010 Annual Meeting, a listserv, and mentoring of residents and faculty for career advising and manuscript review.  Other ideas discussed included the following: 1) Website: description of caucus mission, action steps, leadership, and resource section with links; 2) AAP Bylaws:  review concerning diversity and cultural competence;  3) AAP diversity mission statement (for example, a 2007 University of California diversity statement was distributed); and  4) AAP strategic plan on diversity and cultural competence. Specific ideas for the resource section of the website included:  1) Liaisons with other psychiatric organizations concerning diversity and cultural competence: persons and reports.  For example, Andres Pumareiga, Chair of AACAP cultural competence curriculum committee is working on a curriculum. Another example is an APA Committee on Ethnic Minority Elderly cultural competence curriculum for geriatric fellowship programs, 2nd edition; 2) Diversity and cultural competence initiatives in academic psychiatry departments: persons and reports/articles. For example, Russell Lim/UC Davis Diversity Advisory Committee and Toi Harris/Baylor Texas Regional Minority Mentors Network. 3) Fellowship/educational opportunities; and 4) Key books and articles.  Anyone who would like further information can contact Francis Lu at francislumd@gmail.com.

 

Francis Lu, MD

AAP Bulletin - Winter 2009, Page 18 of 18