Beginning in the fall of 2018, the Department of Medical Education at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai launched “Chats for Change”—a series of interactive sessions that spark dialogue centered on racism and bias in medicine.
Chats for Change is built on the notion that in order to respond to racism and to be anti-racist we must engage in dialogue, learning and action. The idea of Chats for Change was developed in response to medical education staff, students, and faculty who wanted dedicated time to engage in a dialogue as a community and deepen our collective understanding and ability to address racism.
By participating in Chats for Change, we offer an opportunity for attendees to explore key concepts related to racism and bias and uncover who they are in relation to others. Even though the dialogue is structured, the expectation is for attendees to express themselves from their own lived experiences and listen for deeper understanding and insights that will promote learning and unlearning.
We invite all faculty, staff, trainees, leaders, students and others within the health system to join us and engage in dialogue as we work towards a common understanding and contribute our best thinking, knowing that other peoples’ reflections help to improve our thinking. We are committed to helping each other reveal our assumptions and biases for self-revaluation.
Did You Know?
The Department of Medical Education launched two versions of Chats for Change: One that’s offered to all faculty, staff, and students within the Mount Sinai Health System, and another that’s offered nationally—to all within the medical education and healthcare communities.