Housed at George Washington University, SMA is one of the nation’s leading organizations working to advance health equity, and Duke University School of Nursing will be the first nursing school to serve as sole co-host of the conference, titled “Equity Amplified”. 

Dr. Ernest Grant, vice dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, notes that the conference offers a rare chance for folks across the healthcare spectrum to collaborate and learn from each other. “This conference is so important because of its unique ability to bring all the players together to begin to address healthcare and social issues,” Dr. Grant says. “It’s a great opportunity for everyone from the community activist to those of us in healthcare to network and dialogue about how we can put our heads together to address issues within the community, health and healthcare.” 

The keynote address will be given by North Carolina Secretary of Health and Human Services Kody Kinsley, who was instrumental in bringing together state leaders to expand Medicaid access here in North Carolina. Other speakers include Dr. Victor Dzau, President of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and Chancellor Emeritus of the Duke University Health System, andDuke University School of Nursing's Dr. Michael Cary, the Elizabeth C. Clipp Term Chair in Nursing.

Dr. Dzau will be speaking during a plenary session titled “Advancing Health Equity in Health Professions Education in an Era of Political Polarization”, while Dr. Cary will participate in a panel discussion on health equity, artificial intelligence, and the future of population health. 

“At Duke University School of Nursing, we have a very proud tradition on educating the nurse leaders of tomorrow,” Grant said. “We realize that by partnering with our community members and leaders, whatever their position, we can tackle those social determinants of health that creates a life cycle of inequity.” 

Interested attendees can register for the conference at here. Early Bird registration ends March 1st, and there are scholarships available for those looking for help with defraying conference costs.