A proposed roadmap: one department of surgery’s plan for diversity, equity, and inclusion

Disparities remain in academic surgery that negatively impact our patients and our community in multiple ways. The Department of Surgery (DoS) at Oregon Health & Sciences University (OHSU) formally established a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council in 2020 to address the multifaceted etiologies of these inequities. This manuscript describes the steps taken by this council to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workspace, which were guided by the framework provided in the white paper “Ensuring Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Academic Surgery” by West et al.

The DEI Council was constructed into four working groups: Antiracism, Gender Equity, LGBTQIA + , and Community Engagement. Each group is charged with a unique mission statement to address pertinent inequalities. Various initiatives include educational lectures, workshops, quality improvement and health advocacy projects.

The DEI Council has achieved progress by modifying hiring, promotion, and tenure policies and facilitating mentorship. Changes have been made to call expectations and lactation policies for residents and faculty who are expecting or new parents. Nine observerships and financially supported subinternships for underrepresented groups have been completed and will continue. DEI professional development modules, retreats, and monthly cultural humility discussions have been established. Cultural humility and competence of the DoS cohort has been measured through validated tools.

There is much work ahead to achieve our DEI goals. This manuscript demonstrates progress that can be replicated and improved at other institutions as we all strive toward a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive world of academic surgery.