OHEDI Fellowships

Fellowship Programs

The Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine (SFESOM) at the University of Utah is home to students from many backgrounds, including a diversity of race, ethnicity, ability, socioeconomic status, age, religion, sexual orientation, values, and perspectives. The Fellowship program was developed to empower students to play a meaningful and active role in university-wide diversity initiatives. The Fellows will advance the mission of the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (OHEDI) via collaborations with all departments and offices at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine. Fellows advocate for their student peers, participate in the development of diversity-related education and strategic initiatives, develop topic area expertise and current program enhancement, and provide a direct means of communication between Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine leadership and the student body.

We provide two compensated 12-month fellowship programs for SFESOM students each year starting in the Spring: the Research and Advocacy track and Mentorship track.

Mentor Fellowship

About the Mentorship Fellowship

As a mentor you will serve as a positive role model by sharing your educational/professional experiences and networking opportunities and to offer advice, support, insight to pre-medical students that are working on applying to medical school. Mentors encourage and guide mentees, showing them important aspects of life in Medical School, and recommend activities that will help them create a competitive application.

Responsibilities

  • Fellows are expected to develop a mentoring plan between mentor and mentee. Help mentee set goals for the semester/year.
  • Contact your mentee at least twice a month via text, email, or phone calls.
  • Setting and agreeing on frequency of meeting times according to needs and set up meeting via in-person, over the phone, or Zoom.
  • Based on you own experiences, help your mentee develop a career/education plan in medicine.
  • Establish effective communication by providing constructive feedback, encouragement, and support to mentees.
  • If applicable, suggest additional resources to help your mentee’s academic and professional development.
  • Fellows will meet monthly to discuss progress, concerns, or setbacks regarding the mentors, mentees, and the program, itself.
  • Fellows may be asked to be available for programming and events throughout the year.

All Students Receiving a Fellowship Must Meet the Following Requirements

Community Engagement

  • Assist the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion with community engagement and outreach.
  • Devise and facilitate a minimum of one (1) campus-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion program/workshop in collaboration with the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

Communication

  • Serve as a liaison between the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, the School of Medicine, and the student body on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  • Support peers and the campus community in developing an understanding of community norms that embrace diversity and social justice.
  • Promote a community where diversity is valued through mutual respect, communication, and shared empathy. 

Terms of Employment

  • Fellows are expected to maintain student confidentiality per the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).  For more information, see http://registrar.utah.edu/handbook/ferpa.php. 
  • Commitment to a full academic year (Fall and Spring) of employment.
  • Fellows must sign a fellowship agreement.

Compensation and Hours Reporting Expectations

  • The Fellow position is compensated at a rate of $20/hour.
  • Limit to working a combined maximum of 20 hours per work week for all University of Utah departments for which you are employed.
  • Submit hours worked via email to donna.eldridge@hsc.utah.edu by the 15th and last day of the month (28/29/30/31st)

Qualifications

  • Must be enrolled as a second, third or fourth-year medical student.
  • Must be in good academic standing with the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine.
  • Self-motivated, with the ability to multitask and prioritize objectives to meet deadlines.
  • Must be committed to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion.
  • Must be a positive role model and have experience or character to enable success in developing relationships with one’s peers and supporting a positive community experience.

Application Process

Application Timeline

  • The application will be open by May.

Application Requirements

  • Personal Statement: One-page personal statement that describes your interest in the Mentor Fellowship and your commitment to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV).

Selection Process

Candidates selected to advance may be invited to participate in personal interviews. Fellows will be announced no later than late May. Orientation for selected fellows is at the beginning of June. The start dates for the fellowship begin by mid-June.

Questions?

For more information contact: Donna Eldridge, donna.eldridge@hsc.utah.edu 

Research & Advocacy Fellowship

About the Research and Advocacy Fellowship

Responsibilities

  • Collaborate with the Office of Education Quality Improvement to design a process for reviewing SFESOM course and instructor survey questions to mitigate potential bias and ensure questions are culturally sensitive.
  • Analyze survey data, make a report, look at trends, and suggest ways to improve the program.
  • Work with the authors of the Patient-First Language Guide to keep the language guide up to date.
  • Facilitate communication between community health workers and SFESOM students through student-led clinics.
  • Foster inter-professional collaborations amongst students advocating for EDI work across the main campus.

Qualifications

  • Must be enrolled as a second, third, or fourth-year medical student.
  • Must be in good academic standing with the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine.
  • Self-motivated, with the ability to multitask and prioritize objectives to meet deadlines.
  • Must be committed to promoting equity, diversity, and Inclusion.
  • Must be a positive role model and have experience or character to enable success in developing relationships with one's peers and supporting a positive community experience.

Fellows Expectations

  • Fellows will share responsibilities and report directly to the Associate Director of the OHEDI Office. 
  • A minimum of 3 hours per week is expected, not to exceed 20 hours per week.

Application Timeline

Application will be open by May.

Application Requirements

  • Personal Statement: One-page personal statement describing your interest in the Research and Advocacy fellowship and commitment to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV).

Selection Process

Candidates selected to advance may be invited to participate in personal interviews in May. All notifications of acceptance will be sent out no later than late May. Orientation for selected fellows will start in the beginning of June. The fellowship will start by Mid-June.

All Students Receiving a Fellowship Must Meet the Following Requirements

Communication

  • Serve as a liaison between the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, the School of Medicine, and the student body on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues.
  • Provide information and transparency to students on School of Medicine diversity initiatives.
  • Support peers and the campus community in developing an understanding of community norms that embrace diversity and social justice.
  • Promote a community where diversity is valued through mutual respect, communication, and shared empathy. 

Terms of Employment

  • Fellows are expected to maintain student confidentiality per the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). For more information, see http://registrar.utah.edu/handbook/ferpa.php. 
  • Commitment to a full academic year (Fall and Spring) of employment.

Compensation and Hours Reporting Expectations

  • The Fellow position is compensated at a rate of $20/hour.
  • Limit to working a combined maximum of 20 hours per work week for all University of Utah departments you are employed.
  • Submit hours worked via email to: rawad.farhat@hsc.utah.edu by the 15th and last day of the month (28/29/30/31st).

Applicant Resources

Please address any questions to Associate Director, Rawad Farhat, MD, MSPH at: rawad.farhat@hsc.utah.edu