Office of Diversity and Community Engagement

Mission Statement

The University of California, Irvine,  School of Medicine Office of Diversity and Community Engagement (ODCE) was created within the Office of Educational Affairs to augment the recruitment and retention of medical students from populations underrepresented in medicine (UIM). Dr. Alberto Manetta has been appointed Director of the ODCE. This office was established to benefit students with a policy of open access to information.  Our agenda is jointly developed in accord with the Student Advisory Board for the Diversity Office (SABDO). The ODCE works closely with the Office of Admissions.

Vision Statement

The ODCE mission will be carried out by:

• Establishing partnerships with existing organizations that promote diversity to improve the recruitment and admission of UIMs in medical school.

• Establish productive relationships with students’ organizations that seek to correct the underrepresentation of minorities in medical school.

• Establish or enter into relationships with pipelines’ programs at all educational levels including: high school, community colleges and four-year state and private colleges. This will be done in cooperation with the Center for Educational Partnerships at UCI.

• Develop the resources necessary for counseling and mentoring UIMs medical students in their careers and to assist them in achieving academic success in medical school by providing a supportive learning environment.  

• Develop a network of alumni and community resources to support students following graduation and to promote the health care of the underserved.

• Develop a series of interventions to help the admissions office in the recruitment of qualified UIM applicants.

• Linking the different functions and programs within the School of Medicine targeting recruitment of underrepresented minorities into a coherent and seamless program.