The Division recently created its Mosaic Initiative in an effort to recruit a diverse group of fellows and faculty to include under-represented minorities. This Initiative not only creates an inclusive, energetic academic environment, it also more closely matches the population of patients we see. 

The population of older adults has been and will continue to shift from a majority white population to a more diverse mix that includes higher percentages of African American and Hispanic American people. Evidence suggests that patients choose physicians of their own race when possible. The Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology seeks to recruit faculty and train students and fellows from diverse backgrounds to serve that changing population.

Ideally, this two-year initiative will lead to a rich pipeline for recruitment and retention of diverse and outstanding staff. In its first year, the initiative has:

• Partnered with Howard University, in Washington, D.C., to collaborate on training
• Created team-building and inclusiveness activities for Division staff
• Invited former Fellows to lecture on the need for diversity, cultural sensitivity, and related topics

Program leaders are also reaching out to other medical schools and residency programs with a high percentage of minority residents/students to establish recruitment pipelines for fellows and faculty, similar to the partnership with Howard University.