Dr. Marlene Ballejos is Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Department of Family & Community Medicine and Assistant Dean for Admissions at the School of Medicine. She is nationally and locally recognized for her expertise in holistic review and inclusive admissions practices. Highlights & Achievements • Serves as Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Department of Family & Community Medicine (DFCM); member of the DFCM Education Planning Committee, Leadership Council, and the UNM School of Medicine BeAJEDI Council. • Serves as Assistant Dean for Admissions, leading the transition to holistic review practices that significantly increased student diversity and contributed to UNM School of Medicine’s recognition as the 4th Most Diverse Medical School by U.S. News & World Report in 2023. • Serves as Co-Chair of the SOM Committee on Admissions and the Combined Baccalaureate/MD Program Committee on Admissions, where she helps shape admissions policy, guide applicant selection, and advance equity-driven practices across pathways into medicine. • Held multiple national leadership roles with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), including Chair of the Combined Baccalaureate/MD Affiliate Group and liaison between the GSA Committee on Admissions and the Committee on Student Diversity Affairs. She has served on over a dozen national committees focused on shaping admissions policy and advancing medical student diversity. • Serves on the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) DoctoreX Task Force, the UNM Health Sciences SCOTUS Task Force on Affirmative Action, and the Association of Departments of Family Medicine (ADFM) DEI Leaders Strategic Planning Committee, contributing to national and institutional efforts to advance equity in education and healthcare. • As UNM PI for a four-year multi-site AAMC study validating the use of a Situational Judgment Test (SJT) in medical school admissions, Dr. Ballejos contributed to national SJT development and first-authored a widely cited Academic Medicine article. Her work has advanced equitable, evidence-based admissions practices. • Facilitated national workshops with the AAMC Holistic Review team; co-developed and implemented innovative Pre-Admissions Workshop curriculum through the Four Corners Medical Education Alliance; and co-created the Post-Application Advisement curriculum at the UNM School of Medicine. • Dr. Ballejos is a prolific scholar with 200+ presentations, 30+ peer-reviewed abstracts and posters, and publications in top-tier journals. Her research focuses on admissions, recruitment, and physician workforce diversity. • Her contributions have been recognized with the AAMC Exemplary Service Award, the DFCM Citizenship and Scholarship Awards, and recognition by the AAMC Group on Women in Medicine and Science as a Featured Leader in Academic Medicine. Dr. Ballejos is a nationally recognized leader in medical education, admissions reform, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Her transformative work has shaped institutional and national practices. Through committee service, special projects, administrative leadership, and national engagement, she exemplifies a deep commitment to service and educational excellence.