Michaela A West1, Shelley Hwang2, Ronald V Maier3, Nita Ahuja4, Peter Angelos5, Barbara L Bass6, Karen J Brasel7, Herbert Chen8, Kimberly A Davis4, Timothy J Eberlein9, Yuman Fong10, Caprice C Greenberg11, Keith D Lillemoe12, Mary C McCarthy13, Fabrizio Michelassi14, Patricia J Numann15, Sareh Parangi12, Jorge D Reyes3, Hilary A Sanfey16, Steven C Stain17, Ronald J Weigel18, Sherry M Wren19. 1. Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, North Memorial Health, Minneapolis, MN. 2. Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC. 3. Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. 4. Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. 5. Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. 6. Department of Surgery, The Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX. 7. Department of Surgery, University of Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR. 8. Department of Surgery, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL. 9. Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. 10. Department of Surgery, City of Hope Cancer Center, Duarte, CA. 11. Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. 12. Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. 13. Department of Surgery, Wright State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI. 14. Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY. 15. Department of Surgery, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY. 16. Department of Surgery, Southern Illinois University, Springfield, IL. 17. Department of Surgery, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY. 18. Department of, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. 19. Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The leadership of the American Surgical Association (ASA) appointed a Task Force to objectively address issues related to equity, diversity, and inclusion with the discipline of academic surgery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Surgeons and the discipline of surgery, particularly academic surgery, have a tradition of leadership both in medicine and society. Currently, we are being challenged to harness our innate curiosity, hard work, and perseverance to address the historically significant deficiencies within our field in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. METHODS: The ASA leadership requested members to volunteer to serve on a Task Force to comprehensively address equity, diversity, and inclusion in academic surgery. Nine work groups reviewed the current literature, performed primary qualitative interviews, and distilled available guidelines and published primary source materials. A work product was created and published on the ASA Website and made available to the public. The full work product was summarized into this White Paper. RESULTS: The ASA has produced a handbook entitled: Ensuring Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Academic Surgery, which identifies issues and challenges, and develops a set of solutions and benchmarks to aid the academic surgical community in achieving these goals. CONCLUSION: Surgery must identify areas for improvement and work iteratively to address and correct past deficiencies. This requires honest and ongoing identification and correction of implicit and explicit biases. Increasing diversity in our departments, residencies, and universities will improve patient care, enhance productivity, augment community connections, and achieve our most fundamental ambition-doing good for our patients.
OBJECTIVE: The leadership of the American Surgical Association (ASA) appointed a Task Force to objectively address issues related to equity, diversity, and inclusion with the discipline of academic surgery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Surgeons and the discipline of surgery, particularly academic surgery, have a tradition of leadership both in medicine and society. Currently, we are being challenged to harness our innate curiosity, hard work, and perseverance to address the historically significant deficiencies within our field in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. METHODS: The ASA leadership requested members to volunteer to serve on a Task Force to comprehensively address equity, diversity, and inclusion in academic surgery. Nine work groups reviewed the current literature, performed primary qualitative interviews, and distilled available guidelines and published primary source materials. A work product was created and published on the ASA Website and made available to the public. The full work product was summarized into this White Paper. RESULTS: The ASA has produced a handbook entitled: Ensuring Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Academic Surgery, which identifies issues and challenges, and develops a set of solutions and benchmarks to aid the academic surgical community in achieving these goals. CONCLUSION: Surgery must identify areas for improvement and work iteratively to address and correct past deficiencies. This requires honest and ongoing identification and correction of implicit and explicit biases. Increasing diversity in our departments, residencies, and universities will improve patient care, enhance productivity, augment community connections, and achieve our most fundamental ambition-doing good for our patients.
Authors: AlleaBelle Gongola; Jared T Gowen; Rebecca J Reif; Carol R Thrush; Hamilton Newhart; Molly Peckham; Zachary Schwartz; David Davies; Mary Katherine Kimbrough Journal: Med Sci Educ Date: 2021-06-21
Authors: Kalpit N Shah; Jack H Ruddell; Brandon Scott; Daniel B C Reid; Andrew D Sobel; Julia A Katarincic; Edward Akelman Journal: JB JS Open Access Date: 2020-06-26
Authors: Alexandra B Columbus; Pamela W Lu; Susanna S Hill; Adam C Fields; Jennifer S Davids; Nelya Melnitchouk Journal: JAMA Surg Date: 2020-11-01 Impact factor: 14.766