Diversity

History

Since its founding in 1869 by abolitionists Jacob Sleeper, Isaac Rich, and Lee Claflin, Boston University has focused on inclusion. On the medical campus, the New England Female Medical College was founded in 1848 and graduated the first black female physician, Rebecca Lee Crumpler in 1864. In 1873, BU and the New England Female Medicine College merged becoming the first coeducational medical school in the US. In 1890 the first Native American physician, Charles Eastman, graduated. The  BU School of Medicine (BUSM)  was the first medical school to march in a Pride Parade under the school flag and BU Medical Campus Pride actively works for provide a safe, supportive environment for LGBTQIA+ students, faculty and staff.

Boston Medical Center (BMC) which opened in 1864 as Boston City Hospital was the first municipal hospital in the US committed to the health and wellbeing of all patients. It offers free care to Boston residents, providing exceptional care without exception. To address the issue of health equity, BMC has developed the Health Equity Accelerator and has partnered with BUSM to provide the Glossary for Culture Transformation.

Diversity Statement

 The Boston University School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program values diversity among all people across race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexuality, religious tradition, socioeconomic status, ability, age, language, and nationality. All PA faculty, students and staff have the right to work and fully participate in the culture of the department. We celebrate and respect our differences, in order to best prepare our students for a career in medicine. We are committed to recruiting, retaining, and advancing people from diverse backgrounds and working to create and sustain an environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and one in which all feel that they belong.

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that Boston University is on what was originally the territory of the Wampanoag Nation. We respectfully note that Indigenous peoples were stewards of the land and sea where BUMC resides. We regret that Indigenous peoples were brutally subjected to genocide and removal from this area. We pledge to honor the rich traditions of the Indigenous peoples of the US with gratitude by pursuing our activities with respect for life in all its forms and manifestations.