DOTHAN, Ala – The Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM) is proud to announce it has received the 2023 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award. The award was announced earlier today by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.

The HEED Award is a national honor recognizing U.S. health colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. ACOM is proud to be one of 62 other recipients nationwide that will be featured in November/December issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine.

This accolade is a testament to ACOM’s pursuit of excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).  The application process for this award is a comprehensive and rigorous self-evaluation that required us to delve deep into our policies, strategies, programs, initiatives, demographics, and protocols.

“At ACOM, we believe in the profound impact of embracing diversity, which enriches the very fabric of our community and elevates the educational experience, Susie White, MA, contracts and policy manager/interim DEI officer. “We hold in high regard and celebrate the unique perspectives, backgrounds, cultures, and life experiences that each member brings to our institution.  This fosters a unifying environment where every individual is treated with the utmost respect and dignity.”

“The Health Professions HEED Award process consists of a comprehensive and rigorous application that includes questions relating to the recruitment and retention of students and employees — and best practices for both — continued leadership support for diversity, and other aspects of campus diversity and inclusion,” said Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “We take a detailed approach to reviewing each application in deciding who will be named a Health Professions HEED Award recipient. Our standards are high, and we look for schools where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work being done every day across their campus.”

Other recipients of the 2023 INSIGHT Into Diversity Health Professions HEED Award are:

T. Still University of Health Studies

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, University of California, Davis

Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine

California State University Los Angeles, Patricia A. Chin School of Nursing

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

FDU Health at Fairleigh Dickinson University

Frontier Nursing University

Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College

Jane and Robert Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston, Texas

Johns Hopkins School of Nursing

Kansas City University

Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine

Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine

Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing

MGH Institute of Health Professions

New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing

Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry

Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Purdue University

School of Nursing, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine

State University of New York College of Optometry

Texas A&M University Irma Lerma Rangel School of Pharmacy

The Medical College of Wisconsin

The Medical University of South Carolina

The Ohio State University College of Medicine

The Ohio State University College of Nursing

The Ohio State University College of Optometry

The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy

The Ohio State University College of Public Health

The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine

The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix

The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy

Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York

Tulane School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

University of California Riverside School of Medicine

University of California Irvine School of Medicine

University of California, Davis, School of Medicine

University of Cincinnati College of Nursing

University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy

University of Cincinnati College of Allied Health Sciences

University of Florida College of Dentistry

University of Florida College of Pharmacy

University of Houston Andy and Barbara Gessner College of Nursing

University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

University of Louisville Health Sciences Center

University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Nursing

University of Michigan Medical School – Michigan Medicine

University of Minnesota School of Nursing

University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine

University of Rochester School of Nursing

University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine

University of Virginia School of Medicine

University of Wisconsin–Madison, School of Pharmacy

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing

Virginia Commonwealth University, College of Health Professions

Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine

Weill Cornell Medicine

For more information about the 2023 INSIGHT Into Diversity Health Professions HEED Award, visit insightintodiversity.com. For more information about ACOM, visit www.acom.edu.