University of Mississippi Medical Center

There’s really not a typical day in the UMMC Office of Diversity and Inclusion led by Dr. Juanyce Taylor, but what is typical is the amount of energy, thought and passion that goes into fostering respect for different points of view across campus. “Our day is very volatile in the sense that we could be engaging in training and education, and the next hour, I’m consulting with a faculty member or group on their strategic diversity plans,” said Taylor, the Medical Center’s chief diversity and inclusion officer. Taylor’s office is referred to as ODI. It guides strategies for integrating diversity and promoting excellence into UMMC’s three mission areas of education, research and health care. ODI fosters a climate of inclusion throughout the workforce and student body, enabling the entire academic health center to benefit from each individual’s unique talents and perspective. “The importance of us engaging in education, training and communication is to better understand DI,” said Taylor, who leads a four-person team. “To be sincere and true to equity, we must understand it.”

Imagine a tornado tearing through a community like a 60 mph runaway train. With adequate warning, most residents are able to seek shelter. Now picture that same locomotive catapulting itself toward the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where hundreds of the most vulnerable are reliant on staff, not only for healthcare, but also mobility. Though not visuals we relish, they are scenarios UMMC must plan for to increase the chances of survival for everyone on campus, including patients. The Mississippi Center for Emergency Services recently used Severe Weather Preparedness Week to promote the importance of education and awareness to employees who work in inpatient units. “All hospitals are vulnerable to severe weather, but as the only Level 1 trauma center in the state, we have the added responsibility of not only making sure that we are prepared from the standpoint of our staff and patient safety,” explained Houck. “But we also have to be prepared to receive trauma patients from damage surrounding UMMC.