Roles
Assistant Professor of Professional Practice
Assistant Dean for Community Engagement
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Biography
Dr. Nanette Vega currently serves as the Assistant Professor of Professional Practice and Assistant Dean for Community Engagement at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She is a founding member of the Office of Belonging and Inclusive Excellence. Prior to her current position, Dr. Vega served as Director of Diversity for the Office of Faculty Affairs. She also served as Assistant Dean of Students and Director of the Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Education and has held other positions at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth.
Vega actively serves as a national consultant and holds leadership roles in various professional organizations including serving as a board member for the Miami Dade Chamber of Commerce-Leadership Miami, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Alumni Board and NASPA Foundation Board. Vega currently serves as co chair of the NASPA Latinx/a/o Knowledge Community with over 10,000 members nationally and internationally. Vega also served as the national Chair for the ACPA Latinx/a/o Network and has held various leadership roles in ACPA. In addition, Vega served as board member of NASPA’s Latinx/a/o Knowledge Community and NASPA FL, ACPA National Conference Leadership and Planning Team, and faculty for the NASPA NUFP institute and Escaleras Latinx/a/o professional institute.
Vega has received several honors and has been recognized nationally for her work in HealthCare Career Equity, Restorative Practices, Student Affairs, and Racial Justice. Vega received the 2023 NASPA Pillar of the Profession Award-the highest honor, 2021 ACPA Diamond Honoree Award, Insight into Diversity-Diversity Visionary Award, NASPA FL Administrator of the Year, Iron Arrow-Highest Honor attained at the University of Miami, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award, and the ACPA Coalition for Multicultural Affairs Outstanding Contribution to Multicultural Education Award.
Vega earned her Doctor of Education and Master of Arts from the University of Miami. Her Bachelor of Arts was completed at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. She also earned a Diversity and Inclusion Certificate from the School of International and Labor Relations at Cornell University. -
Education & Training
Education
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Honors & Awards
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Teaching Interests
My teaching interests align closely with fostering an inclusive, equitable, and culturally responsive learning environment learning environment. My approach emphasizes engaging students and faculty in both the theory and practical application of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the medical field. Specific teaching interests include:
Inclusive Medical Education and Training: I am passionate about teaching medical students and faculty how to create equitable and inclusive learning and working environments. This includes coursework or workshops on inclusive pedagogical strategies, understanding implicit biases, and fostering a sense of belonging in the classroom and clinical settings.
Cultural Competence and Humility: Equipping students and healthcare professionals with the skills to provide culturally competent and compassionate care is essential. I am interested in designing courses and training modules that help participants develop cultural humility, recognize healthcare disparities, and gain the skills necessary to provide responsive, respectful care to diverse patient populations.
Advocacy in Healthcare: I believe in educating future healthcare leaders to be advocates. I am committed to teaching modules in healthcare, understanding inequities, and preparing students to become advocates for patients and colleagues alike.
Mental Health and Well-being for Diverse Populations: I am also interested in teaching about the impact of discrimination, microaggressions, and inequity on mental health and well-being for both patients and healthcare providers. This includes strategies for resilience, self-care, and supporting diverse groups within the healthcare setting.
Leadership for DEI in Healthcare: I aim to guide students and faculty in developing their own DEI leadership skills. This includes understanding the role of healthcare professionals in creating systemic change, leading by example, and using one’s position to advance inclusion and belonging within their teams, institutions, and communities. -
Research Interests
My research interests center around creating and evaluating impactful, evidence-based strategies that promote an inclusive, supportive environment for all community members. Specifically, I am interested in examining and addressing systemic inequities in medical education, student and faculty well-being, and healthcare delivery. This includes:
Equity in Medical Education: Investigating barriers to access and advancement for underrepresented students and faculty in medicine. I am interested in studying the impacts of mentoring, sponsorship, and professional development programs designed to support marginalized groups and foster equitable educational outcomes.
Inclusive Pedagogy and Curriculum Design: Researching ways to integrate principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism throughout the medical curriculum. This includes assessing the impact of curriculum changes on student knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to culturally competent and inclusive patient care.
Community and Belonging: Exploring methods for building a sense of community and belonging among diverse students, faculty, and staff. My research in this area focuses on the psychological and professional impacts of inclusive campus environments and developing initiatives that create spaces of psychological safety and support.
Patient Care and Health Disparities: Examining how inclusive excellence in training translates into patient care and addresses health disparities. My interest here lies in understanding how training inclusive practitioners affects patient outcomes, particularly for underrepresented or marginalized communities.
Well-being and Burnout in Medical Professionals: Researching strategies to address burnout and promote well-being among medical professionals, with particular attention to how experiences of inclusion or exclusion impact mental health and career longevity in healthcare. -
Publications
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Professional Activities
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