Lofty goals and strategic plans are not enough to achieve and maintain a diverse workforce: an American Association for the Surgery of Trauma Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee conversation

Karen Brasel; Cherisse Berry; Brian H Williams; Sharon M Henry; Jeffrey Upperman; Michaela A West

doi:10.1136/tsaco-2021-000813

Lofty goals and strategic plans are not enough to achieve and maintain a diverse workforce: an American Association for the Surgery of Trauma Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee conversation

Trauma Surg Acute Care Open. 2021 Nov 8;6(1):e000813. doi: 10.1136/tsaco-2021-000813. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Karen Brasel¹, Cherisse Berry², Brian H Williams³, Sharon M Henry⁴, Jeffrey Upperman⁵, Michaela A West⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA.
² Department of Surgery, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
³ Department of Surgery, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
⁴ Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
⁵ Pediatric Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
⁶ Department Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, North Memorial Health, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.

Abstract

The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Ad Hoc Committee organized a luncheon symposium with a distinguished panel of experts to discuss how to ensure a diverse surgical workforce. The panelists discussed the current state of DEI efforts within surgical departments and societal demographic changes that inform and necessitate surgical workforce adaptations. Concrete recommendations included the following: obtain internal data, establish DEI committee, include bias training, review hiring and compensation practices, support the department members doing the DEI work, commit adequate funding, be intentional with DEI efforts, and develop and support alternate pathways for promotion and tenure.

Keywords: access; and evaluation; healthcare quality; race factors.

Publication types

Editorial