As we serve the most diverse group of Veterans in history, VA is reaffirming our commitment to hiring staff that reflects that diversity, ensuring that employees feel supported and providing equitable health care access.
On April 1, a newly assembled 120-day task force on inclusion, diversity, equity and access began a systemwide review of VA. It will then design and implement a new strategic mission with defined goals and objectives.
“To ensure a welcoming environment for Veterans, we must foster fair and inclusive VA workplaces where the experiences and perspectives of our diverse employees are valued,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough.
A renewed focus
What does this mean if you’re applying for a job at VA? While we work on developing our new mission, goals and objectives, one thing won’t be changing – our longstanding commitment to hiring a culturally competent workforce.
A 2019 Government Accountability Office report found that Veterans from underserved communities continue to face barriers to accessing health services.
To help bridge that gap in health care disparity, it’s vital that patients from all backgrounds feel represented in their medical providers and confident that their unique health care needs are understood.
With an increased focus on hiring a diverse workforce, we can work to overcome obstacles and ensure that all Veterans are able to receive equitable care.
New initiatives
Our Office of Academic Affiliation (OAA) is playing a major role in developing VA’s diverse workforce.
If you’re just starting out in your career, you can take advantage of health professions training and scholarship programs that are designed to increase job opportunities at VA for racial and ethnic minorities.
OAA manages affiliations with more than 1,800 unique colleges and universities, including nearly 200 minority-serving institutions (MSIs). Approximately 20,000 health professions trainees from MSIs train at VA each year.
The Veterans Healing Veterans Medical Access & Scholarship Program provides full scholarships to 12 Veteran medical students at Teague-Cranston Act and Historically Black Colleges and Universities in exchange for a four-year service obligation at VA.
Fulfilling our mission
Current VA employees know that we are united by a common mission – to serve those who have bravely served their country.
“The success of our mission depends on everyone being able to contribute their expertise, experience, talents, ideas and perspectives. I commit to advancing equity in VA and providing all employees with opportunities to reach their full potential,” McDonough said.
The work of the task force will include review of policies, programming, training and strategic communications for workforce and Veterans’ initiatives.
Going forward, we will continue our dedication to providing quality care to all Veterans regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender and sexual identity – striving toward the goal of removing barriers to accessing VA health services.
Work at VA
With a career at VA, you’ll be part of an organization that is committed to serving diverse patient populations and supporting diversity and inclusion efforts on the job.
- READ the press release about the task force.
- EXPLORE the benefits of a VA career.
- LEARN more about programs for students and trainees.
- HEAR from current VA employees.
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If other staff don’t like you … you are out of there!
I recently worked for the VA clinic in Minneapolis, I’m a DNP, APRN, CNP with 10 years experience over 25 in emergency depts and urgent care as an RN. Primary care was new to me I was excited to learn! My father retired from the US Navy after 22 years he would have been so proud, he died 8 years ago. My orientation was terrible, no training in the computer just jump right in. I started taking a stand when my nurse started working outside her scope. I also gave excellent triage skills from my ER and urgent care past employment. Every time I used shared medical decision making with my patients and determined they needed a higher level of care, my nurse would get the nurse manager of the clinic and undermine me to the point of harassment! I also have a disability and no steps were taken to find an reasonable accommodation for me. I worked through lunch and 5 hours of overtime a day all of which I never got paid for. The nurses just didn’t like me so they got together and planned together with management to make up lies to run me out the door! So now I was forced to resign… facing board of nursing action with no proof of wrong doing! I’m not where to go from here. Seriously thinking of leaving the nursing (advanced practice) and all of it for good. How can the VA allow colonels lie and force people out with no specific examples? The time I spent with the veterans was the highlight of my career! I did well in both my masters and doctorate programs graduated with a 4.00 in both. Top of my class…. Little did I know I’d have to defend myself as hard as if I was in boot camp! So sad, respectfully, looking for help, a previous employee
I think it is much more important for all VAs to focus on providing more avenues to report lack of care issues, first!
Too many VAs are hiring people because they are related to another VA worker! Now, people not doing their job and making it more difficult for Veterans to get decent care (AS PROMISED), aren’t being fired!
Let’s stop playing politics and focus on Veteran health issues first! I don’t care what color you are, what you identify as, or what you do in your personal life!
If you refuse to respect and help Veterans, while employed by the VA, you need to be fired!!!
One barrier to healthcare is trust. My occupational and clinical experience have exposed me to a reluctance to self disclose. Realizing diversity makes us stronger needs to be the mindset. Making social inequity, unconscious bias, and/or insidious oppression intolerable is a long overdue step toward respect, collaboration, and trust.
Diversity means hiring less white people, even if they’re more qualified. “Equity” is a buzzword that Stalin would be proud of how these people use it.
Imagine caring about your doctor’s “sexual identity” instead of their capabilities and education. I can’t believe this is our new reality, what a joke.
We all know that “diversity and inclusion” actually means aggressive, relentless, abjectly hostile discrimination against straight white Christian males in hiring, promotions, workplace discipline, and every possible aspect of organizational decision-making. Stop with the horsesht.