By Dr. Vernicia Hernandez
I am an internal medicine resident at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital (UM/JMH) in Florida. The director of my program, Dr. Stefanie Brown, is committed to recruiting the most diverse class of residents, which is reflected in our residency cohort. There is strength in diversity, and it can be leveraged through a culture of mutual understanding and respect. To help promote this culture in my program, I decided to launch a project called the ‘“Pop-Up Cultural Marketplace.” The Pop-Up Cultural Marketplace project aims to foster a better understanding of the other societies, values, and cultures represented by the community at my host institution.
I had never undertaken a project like this before and was unsure how to get started, but as they say, “Your growth begins at the end of your comfort zone.” My idea was to host a one-day Pop-Up Cultural Marketplace where residents and faculty could come together to showcase their cultures in a fun and interactive way. My very first challenge was to get people to agree to attend. I exchanged emails with faculty, answered questions from interested residents about the idea, and worked tirelessly to spotlight the event. Every day that I worked on my mission, I learned more about the wonderful, heartwarming backgrounds of my colleagues, and they were introduced to mine in turn. As interest spread like wildfire through the residency cohort, I launched a registration form for the future cross-cultural event. Within the first 48 hours, residents representing 14 different countries registered for the Pop-Up Cultural Marketplace.
Each week leading up to the event, residents at my program were challenged to identify flags, instruments, and other cultural items from countries around the world. I printed small certificates and distributed them to the winners. I also found and purchased a box of 48 small diversity pins on Amazon for about $8. I called them my “Rite of Passage Badges,” and I handed them out to everyone who supported or signed up for this project promoting diversity, inclusion, and the well-being of IMGs. This small gift created a lot of excitement within the Internal Medicine Residency Program, and more and more people started signing up. My t-shirt that says, “Kindness Equality Inclusion Diversity and Love” has its own story; I wore it to work as often as possible, and to anyone who commented on it, I promoted the Pop-Up Cultural Marketplace project.
Finally, the day came—on the 5th of January 2024, more than 150 UM/JMH employees “took a trip around the world” at the Pop-Up Cultural Marketplace. Our program director, attending physicians, program leadership, and chiefs were all present and ready to support their residents and learn about their many different backgrounds and cultures. We left the event feeling more inspired and connected than ever before. This initiative helped demonstrate my program’s ongoing commitment to diversity, inclusion, and the improved well-being of international medical graduates. It also cultivated teamwork and provided opportunities for the residents in my program to become young leaders, advocates, and champions of cross-culturalism.
As a result of the event’s success, the Pop-Up Cultural Marketplace will now become a permanent addition to the values and traditions within our program. I am so grateful and happy for my role in this effort. I cannot wait to see what new adventures await us at next year’s Pop-Up Cultural Marketplace! In the meantime, I will continue my mission of ensuring that all residents in my program— IMGs and U.S. medical graduates alike—can work in an environment where they feel understood, respected, and have a sense of belonging.
