How does a student’s story impact a higher education institution?

This is the question the team producing a documentary focused on underrepresented students in medicine (URM) at NEOMED is hoping to find out.

Led by Sebastián Díaz, Ph.D., J.D., associate dean for quality initiatives, Yoleetah Ilodi, M.D., assistant dean of diversity, and Iris Mirelez, M.Ed., assistant director of student diversity, the project, kicking off this year, will execute a systematic and regular program of documentary work to record the experiences of URM students across the University and how our institution’s changing demography impacts the culture of NEOMED.  

Spanning four pillars within the NEOMED Strategic Plan: Creating Transformational Leaders and aligning with the diversity, equity, and inclusion focus area, the documentary results will inform the following objectives: 

• Inform factors that either promote or impede retention, progression, and completion for underrepresented students; 
• Help assess the “voice of the customer” for underrepresented students, with particular emphasis on factors that most impact their perceptions of belonging, self-efficacy, and satisfaction, and; 

• Chronicle and communicate to NEOMED stakeholders the rich stories of our underrepresented students. 

The group has started their efforts with the 2021-2022 M1 class, of which 30% is considered URM. Long term, the project will be expanded to include underrepresented students from the College of Pharmacy and College of Graduate Studies.

Through the lifetime of the documentary, the team hopes the results will help inform and shape the future of NEOMED.  

To learn more about the documentary, contact Sebastián Díaz at sdiaz@neomed.edu.