TY - JOUR
T1 - A Pathway for Increased Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Surgical Infection Society
AU - the Surgical Infection Society Diversity and Inclusion Ad Hoc Committee
AU - Ahuja, Vanita
AU - Narayan, Mayur
AU - Sanchez, Sabrina E.
AU - Kaufman, Elinore
AU - Ho, Vanessa
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Mary Ann Liebert Inc.. All rights reserved.
PY - 2023/12/1
Y1 - 2023/12/1
N2 - Background: With the rise of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts across medicine, the Surgical Infection Society (SIS) leadership undertook a several-year mission to evaluate DEI issues within the SIS, through the formation of a DEI Ad Hoc Committee to guide the application of best practices. The purpose of this article is to describe the work of the DEI committee since its inception, as well as report on advances made during that time. Methods: Beginning in September 2020, 26 volunteer committee members met monthly to explore the current state of science and best practices around DEI, identify opportunities for the SIS, and translate opportunities into recommendations. As part of this initiative, a survey of the SIS membership was conducted. Survey results, published best practices from business and medicine, and experiences of committee members were utilized collaboratively to outline specific opportunities and recommendations. These findings were presented to the SIS Executive Council and to the membership at the SIS Annual Business Meeting. Results: Committee-identified opportunities and recommendations fell into broad categories of Membership, Leadership and Society Structure, the Annual Meeting, and Research Priorities. Several recommendations were immediately enacted, and a standing DEI committee was established to continue this work. Conclusions: Beyond the main mission of the SIS to advance the science of surgical infections, the SIS can also have a major impact on DEI within society and academic surgery at large.
AB - Background: With the rise of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts across medicine, the Surgical Infection Society (SIS) leadership undertook a several-year mission to evaluate DEI issues within the SIS, through the formation of a DEI Ad Hoc Committee to guide the application of best practices. The purpose of this article is to describe the work of the DEI committee since its inception, as well as report on advances made during that time. Methods: Beginning in September 2020, 26 volunteer committee members met monthly to explore the current state of science and best practices around DEI, identify opportunities for the SIS, and translate opportunities into recommendations. As part of this initiative, a survey of the SIS membership was conducted. Survey results, published best practices from business and medicine, and experiences of committee members were utilized collaboratively to outline specific opportunities and recommendations. These findings were presented to the SIS Executive Council and to the membership at the SIS Annual Business Meeting. Results: Committee-identified opportunities and recommendations fell into broad categories of Membership, Leadership and Society Structure, the Annual Meeting, and Research Priorities. Several recommendations were immediately enacted, and a standing DEI committee was established to continue this work. Conclusions: Beyond the main mission of the SIS to advance the science of surgical infections, the SIS can also have a major impact on DEI within society and academic surgery at large.
KW - Diversity
KW - Equity
KW - Inclusion Committee; recommendations; Surgical Infection Society
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U2 - 10.1089/sur.2023.090
DO - 10.1089/sur.2023.090
M3 - Article
C2 - 38032596
AN - SCOPUS:85179387131
SN - 1096-2964
VL - 24
SP - 852
EP - 859
JO - Surgical Infections
JF - Surgical Infections
IS - 10
ER -