Integrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Work in Community Projects

The West Michigan Asian American Association held its first Asian Women’s Conference

On May 18, 2024, the West Michigan Asian American Association held its first Asian Women’s Conference. The conference goals were to strengthen community connections, provide opportunities to network and meet Asian organization leaders, and enhance literacy and women’s health awareness.

During the conference, Dr. Aileen Antonio, a Trinity Health Grand Rapids physician, spoke about Trinity Health Grand Rapids Hauenstein Neurology Residency Program’s innovative curriculum, the Resiliency and Humanism curriculum. Dr. Antonio also shared the story behind its creation, its growth, and how she has been able to present it in the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Thriving in Neurology webinar series.

The beauty of this curriculum is how our residency program has been able to intentionally integrate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work into our community projects for vulnerable Asian American communities (supported by grants from the AAN and the Saint Mary’s Foundation). Through the curriculum, residents and faculty have gained DEI insights and learnings.

It is the Neurology Residency Program’s goal that the curriculum, which aims to create resilient and humanistic neurologists, continues to be adapted in our national and local Graduate Medical Education (GME) Programs to create resilient and humanistic physicians.