On October 16, 2019, to reinforce its commitment to promote diversity, equity, mutual respect, and inclusiveness, the AAIM Board of Directors approved a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statement. Even though the landscape continues to shift around us, the Alliance remains fully committed to the deliverables outlined in that statement with the overall goal to ”promote diversity, equity, mutual respect, and inclusiveness.” Recent work to support that goal includes the establishment of an AAIM DEI Advisory Group, the enactment of a new Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct policy, and the participation in the ACGME/OPDA/CMSS Equity Matters pilot initiative.
Important and impactful ongoing activities also support this critical mission. The Alliance has staff positions that specifically support DEI; continues to create toolboxes and resources to help educate and support members; produces this newsletter; partners with ABIM, the ABIM Foundation, ACP, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation in Building Trust Through DEI grants; recognizes excellence with the annual AAIM DEI award; and fosters the careers of women through the Alliance Women Leadership Empowerment Advancement and Development (L.E.A.D.) program.
The tagline for the Alliance is Even Better Together. Our commitment to inclusion and to each other is, and will always be, a cornerstone for our organization. In these uncertain, challenging and even frightening times, the strength of all of us working together to assure equity and inclusion is immeasurable.
Polly E. Parsons, MD, MACP, FCCP, ATSF
AAIM President and CEO
November Is American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month
According to the 2023 US Census Bureau report, between 2017 and 2021, 2.7 million US residents identified as American Indian and Alaska Native alone, and 6.3 million as American Indian and Alaska Native alone or in combination with one or more other races. In 2022, AAMC reported that though diversity of medical school enrollment has increased, American Indian or Alaska Native matriculants declined by 9%, comprising 1% of matriculants.
Watch this 2022 AAMC webinar, “Understanding American Indian and Alaska Native Identities: Considerations for Medical School and Residency Programs” (requires AAMC log in).
Learning the Language of DEI
Still using the term “pipeline” when discussing workforce diversity and development for underrepresented individuals in science, technology, engineering, and medicine (STEM) fields? This term, popularized in the US in the 1970s, has recently been criticized for implying that there is a one way entrance and exit for careers in STEM fields. Additionally, the term holds a particularly negative connotation for American Indian and Alaska Native communities who have experienced threats to sacred homeland and water supplies. Read this 2023 JAMA article to learn why the term “pathways” is now used to describe the many factors to be considered in the career development of underrepresented groups in STEM.
Data Is Essential for Advancing DEI
The ability to measure outcomes is critical in assessing the effectiveness of DEI efforts. For the Alliance, collecting demographic data from members is the only way to fully measure the impact of the Alliance’s DEI efforts. Help AAIM develop its ongoing DEI strategy and assess the impact of its efforts by updating your My Profile demographics with your year of birth, race/ethnicity, education, and other demographic information.
-L.jpeg "Jasmine Marcelin, MD, FACP, FIDSA")
2024 AAIM Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award
The Alliance congratulates 2024 AAIM Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award recipient Jasmine Marcelin, MD, FACP, FIDSA. Dr. Marcelin is Associate Professor of Medicine; Vice Chair of Equity & Inclusive Excellence; and Associate Program Director in the Department of Medicine at University of Nebraska College of Medicine.
Alliance Women L.E.A.D. Book Club: December 6
Join the Alliance Women L.E.A.D. community in discussing Women Don't Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever. The book explores how institutions, child-rearing practices, and implicit assumptions discourage women from asking for the opportunities and resources that they have earned and deserve. Participate in the virtual discussion Wednesday, December 6, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST.
AAIM Data in Brief
How do the following Alliance recommendations to promote equity apply to the internal medicine clerkship? (Percent currently embedded in internal medicine clerkship or planned for implementation in next 12 months)
Read the recent Academic Medicine article “Reviewing Internal Medicine Clerkship Grading Through a Proequity Lens: Results of a National Survey,” which was based on the 2021 CDIM Annual Survey of Internal Medicine Core Clinical Clerkship Directors.
Academic Internal Medicine Week 2024 Registration Now Open
The DEI content track is back for Academic Internal Medicine Week 2024. If you are interested in expanding your learning on minimizing bias and promoting equity and inclusion, join us at AIMW24. The conference will offer a full range of session types and topics for seasoned professionals, mid-careerists, and those new to their roles. Registration is now open!
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