The medical organization describes the processes for ensuring diversity in leadership

According to a special article by the organization responsible for certifying the training and skills of American urologists, achieving and maintaining diversity, equity, and inclusion is more than a “numbers game”. Urology Practice, an Official Journal of the American Urological Association (AUA).

In the new article, the American Board of Urology (ABU) notes that the practice of diversity and inclusion has been the cornerstone of their values ​​for years. However, the Board acknowledges that, although progress has been made, there is still more work to be done. Authors included ABU administrators Douglas A. Husmann, MD, Martha K. Terris, MD, and Cheryl T. Lee, MD, and CEO J. Brantley Thrasher, MD.

Build and maintain diversity and inclusion in ABU

The report focuses on informing ABU graduates about initiatives to assess and strengthen diversity and representation on three central committees in the ABU mission: the board of trustees and the written and oral examination committees. For several years, the ABU’s standard of practice is to conduct an annual GAP analysis, comparing and contrasting the composition of its committees with the characteristics of its components: Urologists practicing in the United States, as defined in the National Association 2019 of the American Urology Association. Census.

The selection of new members of the committee is then based on both the merit of the individual and an attempt to match or exceed the diversity ratios defined within the census in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, the geography of the practice and the area of ​​subspecialty. This year’s assessment revealed the ABU committee the structure was made up of 85% men and 15% women, compared to 90% and 10% of the 2019 national census, respectively.

In terms of race and ethnicity, the proportions of committee members compared to the national census of practicing urologists were non-Hispanic whites, 74% versus 81%; Asian, 22% vs. 12%; Black / African American, 3% vs. 2%; and Hispanics, 1% vs. 4%. In terms of the region of practice, the ABU assesses the proportion of American urologists who practice within a given section and tries to achieve a committee structure that is equivalent to or 1 to 4 percentage points.

Although counting and comparing gender and racial / ethnic representation is a necessary first step, it has not been found that establishing relationships that substantially change the behavior or attitudes of society and, in fact, can have unintended negative consequences. . Dr. Husmann and his co-authors describe a series of “structural and ongoing processes” to promote a lasting culture of diversity and inclusion. Specific objectives include:

• Educate graduates and members of the ABU committee on the benefits of diversity
• Educate Committee members about the concept of unconscious bias
• Carrying out rigorous assessments of the written and oral exams of the ABU to verify the absence of implicit bias
• Emphasizing the need to guide the current diverse constituency of young urologists to participate and ultimately take leadership roles on state, regional and national committees, giving them the experience they will need to succeed as members of the ABU committee.
• Anticipating the changing demographics of the next generation of urologists, for example, while only 10 percent of urologists currently in practice are women, they account for 30 percent of residents in training.
• Above all, encourage frank and open discussions about diversity, equity and inclusion

Dr. Husmann and his co-authors conclude: “The ability to achieve and maintain diversity, equity and inclusion is an imperative that requires regular attention and discussion to ensure that we continue to strive to reflect values ​​and principles. both the public and the graduates we serve. ”