Mentoring has always been central to our mission at Weill Cornell Medicine. Our residents and fellows gain valuable clinical skills by observing senior practitioners, discussing cases with supervisors, and honing techniques under guidance. At early stages of their careers, researchers acquire expertise by working in the labs of more established investigators. And, our medical students learn from their teachers, who glean valuable insight from their pupils.
We have also long prioritized diversity at our institution. The culture of collaboration and inclusion creates an environment that is rich with formal and informal knowledge-sharing, bringing individuals together from many backgrounds, with different perspectives and life experiences. This nurturing, pluralistic setting encourages innovative approaches to scientific investigation, and allows us to better serve and connect with our patients, who come to us from around the world.
In order to continue providing our patients with the best possible care, we must create a robust infrastructure that fosters these essential priorities. At Weill Cornell Medicine, we do this by implementing formal mentorship programs, creating initiatives that improve equity and inclusiveness, and encouraging the exchange of knowledge between generations, along with those who are underrepresented in medicine. Our shared goal is to become a national leader in each of these areas, a place where many distinct voices are embraced and amplified within our institution and beyond, to help ensure that the medical community best represents the multicultural and diverse patient population that we serve. It is an ambitious, but necessary, endeavor.
Thanks, in part, to visionary donors like Mastercard, we have already begun to put many key elements of this critical initiative into motion. Our new Diversity-Mentorship Collaborative, featured in our cover story, will allow us to make further strides in each of these areas and provide a new platform upon which to build. By embracing an ethic of mentorship at all levels, and increasing diversity and representation among our faculty, we will be better prepared to meet the ever-changing needs of today’s medical landscape.
With gratitude,
Augustine M.K. Choi, MD
Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean, Weill Cornell Medicine
Provost for Medical Affairs, Cornell University
