Diversity and Anti-Racism

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WELCOME

 

THE USC DIVISION OF BIOKINESIOLOGY AND PHYSICAL THERAPY EMBRACES DIVERSITY, anti-racism, and inclusion and emphasizes the importance of these core values across our Division including how we partner with and support the greater Los Angeles community.

DIVISION-WIDE COMPREHENSIVE ANTI-RACISM PLAN

Between June and October of 2020, Division faculty, staff, and students developed a comprehensive anti-racism plan that identifies achievable actions that we can take across our educational, research, and clinical programs. This plan will be utilized for the 2020-2021 academic year. It will be re-evaluated and updated each academic year to identify future actions we can take to become a multicultural anti-racist organization.

See the Plan

DIVERSITY, ANTI-RACISM, INCLUSION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COUNCIL

The Diversity, Anti-Racism, Inclusion, and Community Engagement (DARIC) Council guides the Division’s strategic priorities to foster diversity in the recruitment and retention of our students, staff, and faculty; provide an inclusive, anti-racist environment where all members of the community are valued and feel welcomed;  and to promote population health equity.

KEY PRIORITIES

  • Engage the USC BKN & PT community in the recruitment, retention, and advancement of diverse faculty, staff, and students.
  • Nurture a culture within the Division that actively identifies, challenges, and changes institutional policies, practices, and procedures that perpetuate systemic racism.
  • Promote a sense of belonging and respect for all.
  • Provide mechanisms for students, staff, and faculty to seek support when they are confronted with biased attitudes and behaviors.
  • Enhance health outcomes by partnering with the surrounding community to inform the work of the Division.

COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP

The membership of the council consists of the following:

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION EVENTS: BY THE NUMBERS

We are very engaged in our efforts to make the Division a more welcoming environment for everyone. In more than just a month, we have hosted the following meetings/conversations/events to foster a more inclusive environment, collectively adding up to nearly 1,300 faculty, staff and student hours.

  • 8 Community Conversations (1 Division-wide, 4 Faculty, 3 Student): Collectively more than 430 attendees
  • 6 Affinity Group Meetings (3 Black Students, 1 Latinx, 1 Asian Pacific, 1 LGBTQ+, 1 Middle Eastern)
  • 5 Diversity Council Meetings
  • Addition of 1 BKN student member
  • 3 Yoga BLM Fundraising Events: 60+ attendees
  • 2 Executive Leadership Meetings focused on issue of Diversity
  • 4 Exploring Antiracism meetings (2 faculty, 2 student): 32 attendees
  • 1 Event sponsored by PTMLA on Allyship: 70+ attendees
  • 1 Curriculum planning meeting: 55 attendees
  • 1 Faculty & Staff Division Social Justice Planning Meeting: 50 attendees
  • 1 USC PT/BKN Black Alumni Board Meeting: 6 attendees
  • 1 Clinical Education student meeting discussion re: race in the clinic: 98 attendees
  • 1 Research Lab Meeting
  • 2 Diversity meeting with Health Science Campus representatives

 

USC-XULA EARLY ASSURANCE PROGRAM

USC has partnered with Xavier University of Louisiana, a historically Black university, to create a pipeline for promising students interested in entering the field of physical therapy.

Once accepted into the program, XULA students will receive mentorship from USC faculty members as well as summer opportunities to gain research and clinical experience.

After graduating from XULA, Early Assurance Program students will be admitted to USC’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program, given they’ve completed all program requirements, including maintaining a 3.2 GPA and completing all prerequisite courses and required clinical experience hours.

Click here for more information about our Early Assurance Program.

USC-XULA Frequently Asked Questions

USC Program Contact: Terry Richardson II

 

USC PHYSICAL THERAPY MULTICULTURAL LEADERSHIP ALLIANCE

The USC Physical Therapy Multicultural Leadership Alliance (PTMLA) is a student-run organization striving to raise awareness about physical therapy as a profession and healthcare service. The leadership and service opportunities afforded through outreach events and educational programs at local schools are enriching for both the students and communities involved. PTMLA is active in serving global communities in need and promoting awareness of PT as a profession in the local community. With more than 10 years of history at USC, its members have grown from being leaders in the classroom to being leaders in the health care field.

MISSION STATEMENT

“Promote cultural competency within the Physical Therapy profession through educational programming, service learning, fundraising and advocacy for PT as a career option. Through acceptance, fun learning environment, and support, PTMLA members will gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to be cultural experts within the PT profession.”

Follow USC PTMLA on Social Media:

@uscptmla
@uscptmla

Learn more about USC PTMLA

 

ENROLLMENT OF UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES (URM) IN USC DPT PROGRAM

 

Nearly 80 percent of the physical therapy profession is Caucasian, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is our goal to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in the profession, mirroring the societal makeup of the patients we treat. The following show how our efforts compare to U.S. national averages.

Entry Year Students Enrolled (#) American Indian Black Hispanic Total URM Percentage URM All US Programs
2010 95 0 1 2 3 3% 8%
2011 94 0 5 8 13 14% 8%
2012 96 1 3 5 9 9% 9%
2013 97 4 7 9 20 21% 7.5%
2014 95 1 7 7 15 16% 8%
2015 97 0 7 13 20 21% 8%
2016 96 0 7 17 24 25% 9%
2017 100 1 8 21 30 30% 10%
2018 145 1 4 18 23 16% 10%
2019 145 1 11 29 41 28% 11%
2020 149 3 11 27 41 28% Data Not Yet Available
5-Yr Avg. 127 1.2 8.2 22.4 31.8 25.4%

 

 

BIAS INCIDENT REPORTING

We take bias, bigotry and hate very seriously and want every member of our community to feel welcome and safe. We encourage all community members who have witnessed or experienced a bias incident to report it. You may do so by following the link below. Your report can be completely anonymous (we do not even track IP addresses) if you would like. You can include your name and contact information, if you would like a follow-up. Your report will be directed to the Chair of the Diversity, Anti-Racism, Inclusion and Community Engagement Council. Note: If you have witnessed a crime, or feel you are in immediate danger, please contact the USC Department of Public Safety at (323) 442-1000 for emergencies and (323) 442-1200 for non-emergencies.

Bias Incident Reporting Form

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Below find all upcoming events from here at the Division as well as across USC pertaining to issues related to diversity and anti-racism.

No scheduled events.