EDI News

When Patrick Smith, PhD, first began his academic training in bioethics, his uncle, a civil rights leader, taught him an important lesson: don't forget about the people. Smith shares how despite working in a field that can sometimes seem removed from the people, his uncle’s words have stayed with him, influencing his work at the Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities & History of Medicine.

On a cold December night 75 years ago, an ambulance arrived at the Duke Hospital emergency room bearing a 24-year-old Army veteran named Maltheus Avery, who had suffered severe brain injuries in a car wreck near Mebane. Doctors examined him and determined he was too badly injured to be a candidate for surgery. Avery was Black, and because there were no beds available in the Black ward at Duke, the doctors had him taken to Lincoln Hospital, Durham’s Black hospital. He died there within minutes of arrival. 

Growing up in the rural South, third-year Duke medical student Dorothy Gheorghiu was often the only Jewish person in her school, her neighborhood, and other settings. These experiences made her keenly aware of the importance of inclusion and belonging, and she was grateful to find a welcoming community when she came first came to Duke as an undergrad.

Over the years as an occupational therapist, Omar Mohiuddin, OTR/L, MS, MPH, CLVT, came to realize that many accessibility issues often go unaddressed, even in spaces originally designed with older adults and persons with visual impairment in mind. That realization fueled his passion for accessibility and drives his devotion to improving the day-to-day lives of persons with blindness and low vision.

Duke University School of Medicine’s BOOST Program recently celebrated 20 years of inspiring young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and medicine (STEM).

Dr. Akinyemiju's research looks at the biological and social factors driving cancer outcomes in the United States and across the globe, trying to understand why some groups of people fare worse than others, and what can be done to close the gap.

As founder and president of Duke’s chapter of Black Men in White Coats, medical student Samuel Ndukwe is doing all he can to make sure young Black men see themselves represented in the medical field.

The Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development has partnered with the Carolina Theater to provide a safe and welcoming cinema experience for autistic individuals and others in need of sensory accommodations.

David Hasan, MD, MSc, professor of neurosurgery, shares his humanitarian efforts in Gaza.

The Trailblazer Award recognizes a Black alumnus of the University of North Carolina who paved the way for African Americans during the first 20 years of integration at Carolina.