Perspectives on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The Duke Office of Physician Scientist Development (OPSD) PRIME Summer Academy provides medical students, who have limited research experience, hands-on laboratory training at the Duke University School of Medicine.  

More than half of middle school students who express an interest in STEM will lose interest by their high school graduation. The Duke School of Medicine BOOST program is working to combat this by inspiring young students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue careers in STEM via fun hands-on learning experience and mentorship. When the opportunity arose for the Eye Center to participate in the BOOST program and share our passion for vision with local Durham students, we were thrilled.

On June 14, 2022 students of the Duke Student National Medical Association (SNMA) joined faculty and trainees from Duke Eye Center to host an ophthalmology wet lab for Duke’s Black medical students.

Kevin Thomas, MD, had little interest in cardiology when he first entered medical school, but it is difficult now to separate his journey toward becoming a cardiologist from his current work advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).

I had the absolute pleasure of attending the Student National Medical Association’s (SNMA) Annual Medical Education Conference (AMEC) this year in Orlando, Florida. Given the restrictions enacted to protect communities against the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 AMEC was the first in person meeting held by SNMA in two years.

On a sunny Saturday in late March, Duke Eye Center team members from all over the Triangle logged in on Zoom to host scholars from the Duke School of Medicine BOOST program for a virtual visit to the Duke Eye Center (DEC). The BOOST Program is geared toward 6th, 7th, and 8th graders in the local Durham community who are from populations underrepresented in STEM, especially African American, Latino/a, Native American, girls, and students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Featuring Ninita Brown MD PhD (Duke Med and Glaucoma Alumna)

Organized by Duke Med Students Nick Johnson & Kirsten Simmons

With Duke’s Leon Herndon MD & Thomas Hunter MD

With the groundswell of protests surrounding the death of George Floyd, I thought that the American Glaucoma Society should make a statement denouncing racism in its many forms. I serve as secretary of this national organization, and made my thoughts known, but ultimately, the executive committee decided that making such a statement was not in keeping with our mission statement. With the support of the president of AGS, I was able to put together a social justice series sponsored by AGS where we would start to address issues of disparities in medicine. 

Kirsten Simmons is a 4th year medical student at Duke University School of Medicine, applying to ophthalmology. She is also completing a Master’s of Theological Studies at Duke University Divinity School as a Theology Medicine and Culture Fellow. Within Duke SOM, some of her greatest joys have included serving as the Co-President of the Student National Medical Association- Duke chapter, where she served as an advocate for underrepresented minority trainees.

Two weeks after the murder of George Floyd, Duke Eye Center Chief of Glaucoma, Leon Herndon Jr., MD, joined a panel to discuss the topic of race and diversity in ophthalmology. The conversation was featured on Episode 240 Straight from the Cutter's Mouth: Race in America and Improving Diversity in Ophthalmology a podcast hosted by Dr. Jayanth Sridhar for the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). Dr. Herndon was joined by two of his colleagues, ophthalmologists Dr.