The Diversity Efforts Disparity in Academic Medicine

Abstract

The diversity efforts disparity in academic medicine can be defined as part of the minority tax that negatively impacts faculty who are underrepresented in medicine. This disparity can be defined as differences between minority and non-minority faculty in their recruitment or assignment by the institution to address diversity issues, climate concerns and conflict around inclusion in academic medicine. It can manifest as disproportionate committee service, being asked to be the face of diversity for the school on websites or brochures or being asked to serve on diversity task forces or initiatives. In this article, the author further characterizes the diversity efforts disparity and provides recommendations for how to identify and address it in academic medicine.

Tackling the Minority Tax: A Roadmap to Redistributing Engagement in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives

“…Loss of such faculty perpetuates the lack of mentorship, promotion disparities, and recruitment challenges. 12 Strategies to improve the cultural climate include formal recognitions, tracking of DEI work in monthly or quarterly reports, and developing dashboard metrics, newsletters, seminars, and meetings. Quantifying the impact of DEI work at the institution, department, and division levels creates a well-defined footprint for URiM advancement into leadership positions, warranting consideration for professorship in academic medicine.…”

“…If DEI‐related efforts are not accorded the same weight as other academic contributions, the time and effort invested are devalued, a significant factor in decisions by URiM faculty to leave academic medicine. Loss of such faculty perpetuates the lack of mentorship, promotion disparities, and recruitment challenges 12 . Strategies to improve the cultural climate include formal recognitions, tracking of DEI work in monthly or quarterly reports, and developing dashboard metrics, newsletters, seminars, and meetings.…”

“…This intransigent problem is highly relevant to otolaryngology–head and neck surgery, which has pronounced underrepresentation 10 . Therefore, one feature of the minority tax is the presence of a disparity in diversity efforts, 12 which interacts with other professional barriers 13 . We examine the current state of diversity, consider its relation to the minority tax, and offer structured solutions emphasizing opportunities for redistributing and valuing effort on DEI initiatives.…”

Doing the Work—or Not: The Promise and Limitations of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in US Medical Schools and Academic Medical Centers

“…However, when institutions adopt initiatives in the absence of evidence-based strategic planning or structural reinforcement, their potential impact is severely limited. In addition, the work typically falls on a single or small group of minoritized trainees, faculty, and staff (18)(19)(20)(21). The placement of responsibility on a select few-rather than the entirety of institutional, departmental, and programmatic leadership-is neither sustainable nor equitable.…”

An Exploratory Study of Arab American Pharmacy Educators’ Work Experience with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

“…For instance, one study demonstrated disparity in academic medicine between minority and non-minority faculty, with minority faculty being more heavily concentrated in lower academic ranks, having disproportionate committee service, and being asked to be the face of diversity for the school/college by serving on diversity task forces. 19 Also, some DEI issues in medical imaging and radiation therapy education 14 , biology education 15,16 , and medical education 17,18 have been previously studied. Efforts to better characterize diversity, reduce barriers, and enhance scientific collaboration for minor ethnicities have been recently called for by medical education bodies.…”