COM Outlook Winter 2021

6 | DR. KIRAN C. PATEL COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE Students Seek Solutions According to Paula Anderson- Worts, D.O., M.P.H., assistant dean of faculty and alumni affairs, the idea for the unity initiative occurred after she received an email from the college’s Student National Medical Association (SNMA) members, who penned an earnest call-to-action message two days after Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020. “Like many, I was outraged as I witnessed the blatant and con- tinued police brutality against an unarmed Black man,” said Anderson-Worts, who felt com- pelled to get involved in the Black Lives Matter movement but wasn’t sure how to do so. “I found myself inspired by the quick response of the SNMA students and their call to action, which was supported and signed by many of their classmates and other club leaders in solidarity.” Because she serves as the SNMA’s faculty adviser, the club’s activism “served as confirmation that I needed to create a platform to bring meaning to the emotional turmoil by highlighting the impact of racial inequality in our nation,” Anderson-Worts explained. “When I discussed the idea with the college’s dean, Dr. Elaine Wallace, she enthusiastically supported it. We both agreed that it was important to involve all KPCOM members and create an environment where everyone can have a voice.” Unity Program for All Addressing issues such as diversity, cultural sensitivity, and discrimination is something NSU has been an exemplar of in everything from its student population and faculty/staff hir- ing practices to its inclusion of diversity as one of its eight core values, which is why Anderson- Worts knew her initiative would be embraced. “The primary goal was to initiate the dialogue necessary to start the journey toward healing and unification,” Anderson-Worts said. “Therefore, I chose to call our program the NSU-KPCOM Unity Program for Change. In my opinion, racial injustice is symp- tomatic of a bigger human race problem, which is why there is a TACKLING INEQUITY “I am duty bound to use any platform to elevate the voice of my community. My goal in joining this program is to promote and identify actionable steps that lend to meaningful change in the lived experiences of our people.” —Roody Joseph, D.P.T., PT, OCS assistant professor of sports medicine “I realized a long time ago that I couldn’t sit still and be silent while injustices and racism circled around me. I also saw firsthand the results of those who looked away and the devastation it caused. For periods of time, I thought I had been somewhat shielded by the academic institutions I worked at or the white coat I wore. But the reality is that, when I step away from the academic institutions, hospitals, and clinics and take off my white coat, I am seen as no different from George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, and many other African Americans who lost their lives to racism.” —Bruce Peters, D.O., FACOP, FAAP, professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics