BGE Statement on Racial Injustice

Dear Biomedical Graduate Education Community,

My heart is heavy from the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, and many others due to systemic racial injustice. The strain on our Black community is incomprehensible, particularly on the backdrop of a global pandemic that is disproportionately afflicting communities of color. This is a time when we need each other most to strengthen our training community, and to come together to support our Black colleagues during this time of grief and crisis in our nation. 

Biomedical Graduate Education (BGE) will be offering support and space for our community to have important dialogue and alleviate the burden of isolation. BGE will be collaborating with the School of Medicine to provide a series of Open Dialogue Discussions facilitated by students, postdocs, staff, and faculty to address topics such as bias, allyship, and social justice. To explore these topics in greater detail, I invite you to review the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s new resource, Talking About Race, and the Aspen Ideas’ podcast: How to Talk About Race and Racism. The NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education also has a repository of workshops and recordings around professional development, wellness and resilience, and resilience workshops tailored toward trainees of color.

Meanwhile, I draw your attention to the following resources to support your emotional safety and well being during these unprecedented times:

Students

• You may schedule an appointment with CAPS by calling (202) 687-6985 from 9:00am – 5:00 pm EST, Monday-Friday, or (833) 960-3006 for services after hours.
• The Office of Campus Ministry is available to all students during business hours by calling (202) 687-5259. In addition, chaplains in residence may be reached after hours by calling (202) 677-0361.
• BGE continues to offer 1 on1 career advising to BGE students and GUMC postdocs.

Postdocs

• The Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) provides counseling and referral resources to postdocs.

More mental health and telehealth resources for students, faculty, and staff can be found on the Georgetown University website.

We will continue to develop and disseminate resources to support our community and to alleviate structural barriers to inclusion and success of our marginalized colleagues. 

In Solidarity, 
Anna

Anna T. Riegel, Ph.D.
Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Graduate Education,
Cecilia Rudman Fisher Professor of Oncology and Pharmacology

Barbara S. Bregman, P.T., Ph.D.
Professor of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Medicine Medicine
Associate Dean for Health Professions Development 
Biomedical Graduate Education

Caleb C. McKinney, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine
Assistant Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Training & Development
Biomedical Graduate Education

Elizabeth Song, M.Ed.
Assistant Dean of Administration and Finance
Biomedical Graduate Education