In the words of Dean Patricia L. Monteleone, M.D. "Saint Louis University School of Medicine has a threefold purpose: to train the next generation of physicians, to provide patient care of the highest quality, and to pursue research that expands our medical knowledge. The School of Medicine’s faculty is committed to training physicians who value both the science and the art of healing and who appreciate the human factors inherent in medical care."

The School of Medicine is committed to enrolling a diverse student body; and graduating physicians from diverse backgrounds. Physicians must be able to understand and communicate meaningfully with patients from vastly different backgrounds in today’s society. This is of paramount importance and has greater significance today because of the changing demographics of the United States. The population of the U.S. is becoming more diverse at a rapidly increasing rate.

Given the fact that medical students will serve populations with complex cultural attributes, they must be taught to assess patients and their communities—both local and national. Their awareness of patient and community needs and their ability to listen intently, understand, and communicate with patients from different ethnic and racial backgrounds will impact the quality of healthcare provided. As physicians, they must be aware of issues of difference so that they can negotiate with patients and join in problem solving with them. The goal of our School of Medicine is to graduate culturally competent physicians who deliver quality heath care to diverse populations.

The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) in the School of Medicine is a diversified entity providing a multiple-component, inter-related program of pre-professional advising, undergraduate and graduate program recruitment, academic retention efforts for currently enrolled disadvantaged medical students, and follow-up services to graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds. The charge of OMA is to support and enhance the academic, educational, social, and cultural interests of the diverse student constituency at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and to maximize the students’ abilities in pursuit of a medical career.

The Office of Multicultural Affairs has as one of its major goals to matriculate and graduate individuals from diverse backgrounds. To this end, the philosophy of “prevention rather than crisis intervention" is the cornerstone in designing and implementing innovative and creative initiatives. The emphasis is upon being proactive rather than reactive. As a result, we have several programs in place designed to assist students with their academic endeavors. Supplemental Instruction (SI), Academic Success Workshops, USMLE Step 1 Board Review course, Document of Clinical Survival Skills (DOCS) Booklet, the John H. Gladney, M.D. Diversity Award and the Multicultural Initiative for New Doctors (MIND) program are some of the initiatives delineated on our web site.

In essence, the mission of the OMA is to provide the appropriate support and resources necessary to ensure that prospective matriculants and currently enrolled medical students are successful as they progress along the educational pathway in pursuit of a career in medicine as a physician.

George Rausch, Ed.D.
Associate Dean, Multicultural Affairs
Director, Multicultural Initiative for New Doctors (MIND) Program
Assistant Professor of Community and Family Medicine
Saint Louis University School of Medicine