2021 GI Outlook (GO) Conference | November 2021-Leadership Building with Diversity

Pdf Summary

The status of diversity in the field of gastroenterology (GI) is still a work in progress. While there has been progress in terms of gender diversity, with 47% of medical school graduates in GI being women, other areas such as racial and sexual orientation diversity still lag behind. In terms of leadership, there is a significant lack of diversity, with less than 0.7% of US medical school faculty being Black women.<br /><br />Diversity in leadership is important for several reasons. It helps with recruitment by inspiring and providing visible role models. It also brings different perspectives to problem-solving, leading to more comprehensive solutions. Diversity drives innovation and creativity, and it ensures patient equity by accommodating patients' preferences.<br /><br />Increasing diversity in leadership requires several strategies. Recruitment should focus on providing opportunities and access to underrepresented groups. The culture needs to be changed to eliminate biases and create a safe and inclusive environment. Mentorship and allyship programs should be increased, and institutions should adopt policies that promote gender and diversity inclusion.<br /><br />Barriers to diversity in leadership include a lack of same-sex mentors, perceptions of bias in the workplace, and concerns around family planning and pregnancy. Encouraging mentorship and sponsorship programs, creating networks and directories, and looking outside of GI for mentorship in other areas can help address these barriers.<br /><br />Increasing the visibility of role models through live courses, speaking opportunities, and social media is also important. Awards and recognition can provide opportunities for individuals to elevate and promote others. Changing the dialogue around success and qualifications, providing leadership training and bias training, and addressing policies that create barriers are all steps toward creating a more inclusive environment.<br /><br />Overall, diversity in leadership requires a top-down and bottom-up approach. It is important for leaders to set the mission and core values, promote diversity within their teams, and actively participate in advocacy and allyship. Engaging in feedback and measuring outcomes can help track progress and ensure that the needle is moving toward a more diverse and inclusive leadership in GI.

Asset Subtitle

Amrita Sethi, MD, MASGE

Keywords

diversity

gastroenterology

gender diversity

racial diversity

sexual orientation diversity

leadership

recruitment

role models

problem-solving

patient equity