Diversity and Inclusion

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion

No matter one’s race, ethnicity, culture, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability or religion, all are welcomed and included at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.

Leadership at both the College of Medicine and the Wexner Medical Center considers diversity an essential part our academic mission. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion supports belonging for faculty, staff, and learners. A diversity of cultures and life experiences strengthens our mission to provide evidence-based health care. It gives us a greater understanding and appreciation for each patient’s unique genetic makeup, behavior, experiences and beliefs.

Learn more about our mission

Representation in medicine matters

Representation matters at Ohio State College of Medicine. For the past six years, more than half of our incoming class have been women. Here you’ll find hundreds of women making a difference. See what they have to say about the future of medicine.

Nationally recognized for our commitment to diversity and inclusion

INSIGHT into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education, recognized Ohio State’s College of Medicine with the 2023 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award.

The College of Medicine has worked to mitigate implicit bias in its admissions process and provides implicit bias education to College of Medicine and Ohio State Wexner Medical Center leadership, faculty and staff. Inclusive excellence in leadership is an integral part of the strategic plan.

Initiatives

We want to eliminate healthcare disparities by increasing the number of medical students and residents who are underrepresented in medicine, such as African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans. Our unique MEDPATH Post-Baccalaureate Program seeks to increase the number of medical students from disadvantaged backgrounds who indicate a commitment to practice in underserved communities. The Discovery Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) is an National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded program that provides an intense paid research experience in outstanding research facilities with leading investigators at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.

The Inclusive Excellence Visiting Student Scholarship provides one-month rotations in one of our residency programs for minority fourth-year medical students from across the country. And our summer MD Camp is an intensive, three-week day camp that gives underrepresented high school students who are interested in health professions, including biomedical research, a taste of the medical school experience.

View all programs

Overcoming implicit bias

The Ohio State University College of Medicine augments its diversity efforts with active measures to overcome unconscious, or implicit, bias. And it has worked. Our student population is one of the most diverse among U.S. medical schools. This hasn’t compromised the college’s academic metrics – on the contrary, as the percentage of underrepresented students increased, so did the average MCAT scores and GPAs of each entering class. Workshops for staff, faculty and students explain unconscious bias and promote easy strategies for reducing it.

Creating healthier communities

Community service is an integral part of a medical education at Ohio State. As part of our groundbreaking LSI curriculum, students are required to volunteer at a variety of community facilities, including free clinics, retirement homes, VA clinics and homeless shelters in Columbus. These experiences train our students to better work with diverse patient populations while providing an invaluable service to the underserved members of our community.

Becoming culturally competent helps our students provide care for all types of patients regardless of backgrounds or circumstances.

Find out about our service initiatives