Diverse group of medical students

Justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in mental health

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is committed to a culture of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) for our faculty, staff, trainees, students, and, most importantly, the patients we serve. Our Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC) leads the charge by identifying and addressing areas of need, including enhanced education in cultural psychiatry, evaluation and improvement in our recruitment and retention strategies for those who are underrepresented in medicine (URM), and support and promotion of health equity research.

More about the Diversity Advisory Committee

Redefining cultural psychiatry

Ruth Shim, M.D., M.P.H.

Ruth Shim, M.D., M.P.H.

Director of Cultural Psychiatry
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
rshim@ucdavis.edu

Our focus areas

Adaobi Nwabuo, M.D., psychiatry resident

Education

We integrate cultural psychiatry training into our programs to better prepare our trainees to understand the impact that the social determinants of mental health can have on well-being.

Training for residents

Education for medical students

Bethel Essaw, M.D., psychiatry resident

Recruitment and retention

Our aim is to enhance the recruitment and retention of underrepresented faculty, staff and trainees by cultivating a diverse pipeline, funding visiting clerkships, promoting mentor opportunities and much more.

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Research and publications

Our faculty and residents are leaders in JEDI research, including cultural psychiatry, social determinants of mental health, and immigrant and refugee mental health, to name a few.

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In the community

Sacramento is one of the most ethnically diverse and integrated metropolitan areas in the country. Our department has long recognized the importance of providing culturally relevant care through its commitment to cultural psychiatry training. As a result, UC Davis psychiatry residents receive robust training in working with diverse and marginalized patients across a variety of treatment settings at UC Davis and Sacramento county.

Our training sites


Upcoming JEDI events

The Diversity Advisory Committee organizes quarterly film screenings and facilitates discussions with experts on JEDI topics. We also promote other diversity-related events that are offered around the health campus.

View ALL psychiatry department events


global mental health

Program gives residents and medical students opportunities to work with immigrant and refugee populations

Our Global Mental Health Program provides educational and research opportunities for medical students, residents, and faculty interested in mental health in international settings. The educational component of the program includes lectures and hands-on opportunities to work in international or local settings with immigrant and refugee populations.

Learn more