Diversity and Inclusion Statement

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science creates a pathway of excellence in education, service, scholarship and healthcare by embracing a community of people with a breadth of characteristics, experiences and accomplishments. Our diversity embodies the understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizes our individual differences. These differences include but are not limited to internal dimensions such as personality, race, age, gender, ethnicity, ability, sexuality, learning and thinking style; external dimensions such as geographical location, marital status, income level, educational background, work experience, religious and political beliefs; and organizational dimensions such as professional affiliation, organizational status and level of influence. We acknowledge that categories of differences are not always fixed but also can be fluid, we respect individual rights to self-identification, and we recognize that no one culture is intrinsically superior to another.

RFUMS is committed to intentional acts of inclusion recognizing both cognitive and non-cognitive qualities. Inclusion means more than just acknowledging and/or tolerating difference. The concept of inclusion encompasses acceptance and respect. Inclusion is a set of conscious actions that involve knowing how or learning to relate to those qualities and conditions that are different from our own yet are present in other individual and groups. It is through inclusion that our educational milieu is enriched by the varied perspectives and experiences that each unique member brings to the community and through which we affect positively the healthcare of our world.