Diversification in the medical sciences fuels growth of physician-scientists

Toward realizing diversity in academic medicine

“…And like trainees, there are often very limited numbers of URiMs on a large faculty. As a young URiM faculty member, they may lack representative role models and mentors to help them mature (1,6,9). New challenges occur, such as being asked repeatedly to be representative on committees (the "minority faculty tax") because there are so few URiMs on faculty -the intention of the institution might be sound for diverse representation, but incessant service undermines their clinical and research development maturation for future success and promotion (5,6).…”

“…Physician-scientists and trainees who are underrepresented minorities in medicine (URiMs) have navigated a daunting path to achieve the level they have reached, and face additional obstacles as they move forward in their careers. Their professional development is impacted by conscious and unconscious biases that create multiple hurdles to advancement, and even as progress is made, URiM achievements are not necessarily recognized in an equivalent manner to non-URiMs (1)(2)(3)(4). Biases based on schemas and embedded stereotypes may prevent an opportunity, for example, to interview for a residency, fellow, or faculty position despite having a sound record of achievement, or may result in unfair evaluations that may affect future opportunities (5).…”

A deliberate path toward diversity, equity, and inclusion within the ASCI

“…Although the ASCI only began to accrue data on race and ethnicity in 2018, it is estimated that from 1908 to 2019, only 1.5% of ASCI inductees were underrepresented minorities and fewer than 10% were female (1,2). The dearth of ethnic, racial, and gender diversity in ASCI's first century reflects the homogeneity of the physicianscientist community for the majority of the 20th century; although the representation of women in the physician-scien-tist pipeline is slowly improving, minorities remain markedly underrepresented across all levels of this pipeline, and are particularly underrepresented in senior leadership (3). Improving the diversity of the physician-scientist community must be addressed across all levels of academic medicine and will require multifaceted efforts to eliminate both overt and subtle racial and gender bias and to create better access and opportunity.…”

“…A deliberate path toward diversity, equity, and inclusion within the ASCI Lorraine B. Ware, 1 Kathleen L. Collins, 2 John B. Hawley, 3 and Rexford S. Ahima 4 1 President, American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), 2020-2021; Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA. 2 Editor, JCI Insight, 2019-2024; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.…”

“…2 Editor, JCI Insight, 2019-2024; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. 3 Executive Director, ASCI, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. 4 Editor, Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2018-2022; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.…”