Recruiting a diverse faculty is necessary for fostering inclusive environments at medical schools. The current study describes the creation and implementation of a faculty-led Diversity Liaison Program (DLP). After a faculty-wide assessment of attitudes regarding diversity, volunteer faculty participants in the DLP received training about identifying and mitigating bias in the search process, as well as methods for increasing search pool diversity. Early results show increased hiring of faculty who are women and from underrepresented groups. We conclude by discussing the successes and challenges of the program, which are instructive for other institutions seeking to diversify their faculty.
Keywords: Diversity; Faculty; Recruitment; Search committee; Training; Unconscious bias.
© International Association of Medical Science Educators 2020.