Inclusive Excellence Award for Excellence

Purpose

This award acknowledges and celebrates staff, medical and graduate students, residents, fellows, student organizations, and School of Medicine departments and organizations actively working to provide healthcare access for all at the UMKC School of Medicine (SoM). It recognizes efforts to provide greater healthcare access, optimize health and wellbeing, and advance the understanding of healthcare delivery, access, and population- and subpopulation-related outcome challenges, barriers and facilitators as they relate to healthcare delivery and sensitivity in medicine.

Description

Award recipients will demonstrate a track record of excellence in fostering leadership, service and a commitment to inclusive excellence by expanding opportunities for graduate and medical students, staff, residents, fellows, departments, organizations and the surrounding community.

The award recognizes sustained contributions and an active commitment to promoting and enhancing the educational, clinical, leadership and research experiences at the School of Medicine. Consistent contributions in the areas of inclusive excellence, respectful engagement, or healthcare access for all include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Recruiting and/or retaining graduate and medical students, trainees, staff members or faculty.
  2. Facilitating an inclusive learning, clinical and research environment of success for all members and populations in the UMKC SoM community.
  3. Working to promote healthcare access for all and the elimination of barriers to the delivery of healthcare.
  4. Strengthening efforts to develop or implement respectful engagement and sensitivity strategies that improve healthcare delivery.
  5. Actively engaged in the greater Kansas City and Saint Joseph areas supporting healthcare advocacy and inclusive excellence initiatives for the betterment of the community.

Eligibility

Full- and part-time School of Medicine staff, graduate and medical students, residents, fellows, SoM student organizations, and SoM departments/organizations are eligible for the award.

Please note: UMKC SoM faculty are excluded from this award, as there is a separate Inclusive Excellence and Healthcare Access for All Award for faculty.

One award will be given in each of the following categories:

  • Medical student/graduate student
  • Student organization
  • Staff/resident/fellow
  • Organization/department

Nomination Guidelines

Nominees may be nominated by School of Medicine staff, graduate and medical students, residents, fellows, faculty, administrators or clinical affiliates. Self-nominations will also be accepted. Each nominator may name one individual or organization/department

Required nomination materials

Please submit the following materials as part of a single PDF file.

  1. A nomination letter explaining the nominee’s qualifications for the award, which provides specific details and examples of sustained commitment to inclusive excellence, as well as the impact of that commitment on medical education, clinical care, research and/or healthcare promotion (not to exceed two typed pages).
  2. A one-page description of the inclusive excellence program, initiative, project, or activity (for organizations/departments, please incorporate this information into the nomination letter).
  3. A current curriculum vitae (individual nominations only).
  4. Up to three letters of support (not to exceed two typed pages) attesting to and documenting the scope of influence of the nominee’s contributions to inclusive excellence and healthcare access for all at the SoM. For student nominees, one letter of support must come from a current staff or faculty member.

Selection Process

The Office of the Learning Environment will convene an Inclusive Excellence and Healthcare Access for All Award Committee to review all completed nomination materials. Incomplete nomination packets and nominations not submitted as a single PDF file will not be considered or reviewed.

The committee will be comprised of 5-7 members who demonstrate a commitment to inclusive excellence and healthcare access for all at the SoM and in the community. Members of the Office of the Learning Environment will also serve on the committee. The committee will meet to review, discuss and vote on the award recipients.

Submission Deadline

The submission deadline for the awards is the end of April of each academic year, with the winners announced in May.

Please use the following format when submitting your nomination packet PDF file:

  • Nominee's First Name and Last Name — Inclusive Excellence Award (e.g., Tyler Smith — Inclusive Excellence Award)
  • Organization or Department Name — Inclusive Excellence Award (e.g., Department of Orthopaedic Surgery — Inclusive Excellence Award)

Questions?

Please email Doris C. Agwu, MPH, Assistant Dean of Inclusive Excellence, with any questions about the nomination and application process.

Sincerely,
UMKC School of Medicine, Office of the Learning Environment
School of Medicine Council for Inclusive Excellence