Skip to main content
UTRGV
Give Apply
UTRGV Logo
  • Directory
  • myUTRGV
  • Maps
  • Give
  • Apply
  • Search
  • Home
  • About Open the About Navigation Section
    • Our Dean
    • Newsletters
    • Our Story
    • Strategic Plan
    • Leadership
    • Deans
    • Chairs and Directors
    • Organizational Chart
    • Careers
    • UT Health RGV
    • Give
    • Committees
    • Community
    • Accreditation
    • Directory
    • Policies and By-laws
  • Education Open the Education Navigation Section
    • Academic Advising
    • Academic Continuity
    • Admissions
    • Careers in Medicine
    • Continuing Medical Education (CME)
    • Curriculum
    • Diversity and Inclusion
    • Financial Aid
    • Graduate Medical Education
    • Graduate Programs
    • Interprofessional Education (IPE)
    • Library
    • Office of Faculty Affairs
    • Office of Student Affairs
    • Registrar Services
    • Residencies
    • Undergraduate Medical Education (UME)
  • Research Open the Research Navigation Section
    • About Us
    • Research Administration
    • Research Resources
    • Research Events Calendar
    • Research Learning Opportunities
    • Publications, Research & Symposia
  • Patient Care
  • Departments and Institutes Open the Departments and Institutes Navigation Section
    • Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center
    • Family and Community Medicine
    • Human Genetics
    • Immunology and Microbiology
    • Institute of Neuroscience
    • Internal Medicine
    • Medical Education
    • Neurology
    • Neuroscience
    • Obstetrics and Gynecology
    • Orthopedic Surgery
    • Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
    • Pediatrics
    • Population Health and Biostatistics
    • Psychiatry
    • South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research
    • South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute
    • Surgery
  • Contact
UTRGV
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

UTRGV
UTRGV School of Medicine

  • Home
  • About
    About

    About

    Founded in 2013, the UTRGV School of Medicine educates students and graduate physicians, provides patient care, and performs advanced scientific research.

    Read More
    • Our Dean
    • Newsletters
    • Our Story
    • Strategic Plan
    • Leadership
    • Deans
    • Chairs and Directors
    • Organizational Chart
    • Careers
    • UT Health RGV
    • Give
    • Committees
    • Community
    • Accreditation
    • Directory
    • Policies and By-laws
  • Education
    Education

    Education

    The UTRGV School of Medicine offers an innovative, competency-based medical education to create the future leaders in medicine, research, and patient care.

    Read More
    • Academic Advising
    • Academic Continuity
    • Admissions
    • Careers in Medicine
    • Continuing Medical Education (CME)
    • Curriculum
    • Diversity and Inclusion
    • Financial Aid
    • Graduate Medical Education
    • Graduate Programs
    • Interprofessional Education (IPE)
    • Library
    • Office of Faculty Affairs
    • Office of Student Affairs
    • Registrar Services
    • Residencies
    • Undergraduate Medical Education (UME)
  • Research
    Research

    Research

    UTRGV School of Medicine (SOM) is transforming and enriching the lives of the people of the Rio Grande Valley and beyond.

    Read More
    • About Us
    • Research Administration
    • Research Resources
    • Research Events Calendar
    • Research Learning Opportunities
    • Publications, Research & Symposia
  • Patient Care
  • Departments and Institutes
    Departments and Institutes

    Departments and Institutes

    With over 15 departments and institutes, discover how the UTRGV School of Medicine is transforming medical education, patient care and research.

    Read More
    • Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center
    • Family and Community Medicine
    • Human Genetics
    • Immunology and Microbiology
    • Institute of Neuroscience
    • Internal Medicine
    • Medical Education
    • Neurology
    • Neuroscience
    • Obstetrics and Gynecology
    • Orthopedic Surgery
    • Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
    • Pediatrics
    • Population Health and Biostatistics
    • Psychiatry
    • South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research
    • South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute
    • Surgery
  • Contact
  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Diversity and Inclusion
  4. Dean's Welcome

Associate Dean's Welcome

Welcome to the UTRGV SOM Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity (ODIHE).

It is my sincere privilege to serve as Associate Dean for Diversity, Inclusion, and Health Equity and also as Associate Dean for Continuing Medical Education for our growing medical school.

Experiencing an organizational culture of diversity and inclusivity is a cornerstone of our medical school as it is critical to the academic, personal, and spiritual growth of our faculty, senior administrative staff, medical students, and residents. Each of these groups is represented on the UTRGV SOM Diversity Committee which meets on a quarterly basis to ensure that the school’s Diversity Strategic Plan and Diversity Policies are responsive to a changing world and the growing needs of our medical school community.

UTRGV SOM faculty, senior administrative staff, medical students, and residents are the representatives of our institution to the world; most importantly to our RGV community at large and to our patients. It is in part through our school’s diversity and inclusion efforts, in academia, in policy, and in practice that we help to educate and inspire our future physicians to provide exceptional health care to their patients and to exemplify the beauty an importance of respect, compassion, humility, and humanity.

ODIHE will continue to provide training opportunities for all of the UTRGV SOM community in topics of diversity and inclusion. We will also continue to work together and respect one another and what makes us each unique: race, ethnicity, gender identity, and religious preference to name just a few.

Two of the most fundamental actions that the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Health Equity promises to take is to listen and to seek understanding of the academic, emotional, and spiritual needs of our student, resident, faculty, and staff populations who are underrepresented in medicine.

Sincerely,

Adela S. Valdez, MD, MBA
Associate Dean, Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity
Associate Dean, Continuing Medical Education
UTRGV School of Medicine
Adela.Valdez@utrgv.edu

Diversity and Inclusion (UTRGV School of Medicine)

  • Diversity Committee
  • Diversity Categories
  • Pathway Programs
  • Diversity In Action
  • Diversity and Inclusion Education Series
  • Dean's Welcome

Contact

Sofia Hernandez
Chief Diversity Officer
Email: Sofia.Hernandez@utrgv.edu
Phone: (956) 296-1951

Resources

  • For Students
  • For Faculty
  • UTRGV Notice of Non-Discrimination
  • Non-Discrimination and Complaint Procedure
  • Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities
  • Sexual Misconduct
  • Office of Institutional Equity Division of Operations

Helpful Links

  • Diversity & Inclusion Education Series
  • Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity
  • Student Mistreatment
  • UTRGV Center for Diversity and Inclusion
  • Faculty Development Calendar

Campus Locations


Edinburg

1201 West University Drive
Edinburg, TX 78501
(956) 296-1600

Harlingen

2102 Treasure Hills Boulevard,
Harlingen, TX 78550
(956) 296-1600

Brownsville

One West University Boulevard,
Brownsville, TX 78520
(956) 296-1600

Follow Us on Social Media


LIKE. FOLLOW. SUBSCRIBE.


Download the UTRGV App for Apple Download the UTRGV App for Android
UTRGV

The University of
Texas Rio Grande Valley

Connect with us:


  • CARES, CRRSAA and ARP Reporting
  • Site Policies
  • Required Links
  • Fraud Reporting
  • Senate Bill 18
  • Clery Act Reports
  • Web Accessibility
  • Mental Health Resources
  • Sexual Misconduct Policy
  • Contact UTRGV

©2022 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.