Letter: A Call to Action: Increasing Black Representation in Neurological Surgery

Commentary: A Scoping Review of Professionalism in Neurosurgery

“…Guidelines for the integration have been promulgated. [44][45][46][47] They need to be implemented and re-evaluated regularly to avoid having only performative changes. 48,49 We believe that by teaching the underlying principles as part of the core foundational values of medicine, insisting on appropriate professional conduct, and demonstrating the benefits of these efforts, it is possible to enhance and strengthen the neurosurgical canon, expand the collective moral intuition, and achieve consensus on best practices for DEI without necessitating structural changes in the profession.…”

Commentary: Crossing the Synaptic Cleft: The Pursuit of Neurosurgery by Black Medical Students

“…There are several vesicles with significant potential to address this need, including early mentorship by neurosurgeons, scholarships for research projects, and the formation of a black neurosurgery organization. 9 While an individual's apparent identity should not be a singular criterion for residency programs, what can fairly be expected is a reflective examination by program directors and leaders in organized neurosurgery as to why the recruitment pipeline continuously fails to reflect the diversity of our national makeup. Acknowledging the barriers to diversity in our workforce is the first step to generating sustainable action potential and propagating a diverse and competent generation of neurosurgical leaders.…”

Consequences of inequity in the neurosurgical workforce: Lessons from traumatic brain injury

“…Neurosurgery is the discipline of medicine that is most acutely involved in the care of brain injured patients, and it is among the least diverse of all medical specialties, rivaled most closely by orthopedics and cardiac surgery. Women represent approximately 6% ( n = 259/4,178) ( 1 ) and black neurosurgeons represent approximately 4% ( n = 183/4,178) ( 2 ) of all board-certified neurosurgeons in the United States ( 3 ). Lack of mentorship for junior female and minority surgeons remains an issue as there are only 33 female full professors of neurosurgery in the United States ( 1 ) (4% of the field), and an unknown number of black full professors of neurosurgery.…”