December 2022
On behalf of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, we are pleased to provide an update on recent initiatives and activities.
With the DEIC’s support, the ASCI is proud to have established two middle-career awards named in honor of pioneering members of the Society: the Marian W. Ropes, MD, Award, which recognizes the significant scholarly achievements of a middle-career woman physician-scientist, and the Louis W. Sullivan, MD, Award, which recognizes the significant scholarly achievements of a middle-career physician-scientist identifying as underrepresented in medicine and science (UiMS). Nominations are currently under review. The inaugural Awardees each receive a $10,000 honorarium, are recognized at the Annual Meeting in April 2023, and present a named lecture in April 2024.
The DEIC has also introduced a video interview series, ASCI Perspectives, which highlights physician-scientists in the ASCI community who are members of UiMS populations. These engaging interviews provide insights into the scientist’s career path, their research, and lessons learned. We invite you to view the first two interviews, led by DEIC member Dr. Patrick Nana-Sinkam (Virginia Commonwealth University; profile), on the ASCI website.
The ASCI began collecting comprehensive demographic data in 2021 toward the goal — codified in the bylaws — of “ensur[ing] that the organization, its programs, and its mentoring mechanisms promote and recognize diversity, inclusion, and equity.” The data will be used to track the demographics of our membership so we can identify opportunities to improve representation. Information will be kept confidential and data are deidentified for any reporting. To date, we’ve collected demographic information from about 15% of the membership. We thank those who have provided this information, and ask those who have not yet done so to take a few minutes to access your member profile and complete the “Demographics” section in your member account. The data we collect will be used to track the demographics of our membership so we can identify opportunities to improve representation. Information will be kept confidential, and data will be deidentified for any reporting. All response areas are voluntary. We welcome your feedback (via staff@the-asci.org) and will incorporate changes as appropriate.
Finally, the DEIC is seeking volunteers interested in serving a 3-year term on the Committee. If you are interested, please send your CV and brief (250-word limit) statement of interest to the DEIC staff liaison, Maya Hoptman (she/her), Associate Director, at maya.hoptman@the-asci.org.
We look forward to bringing you news of further steps the Committee and the ASCI undertake in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Sincerely, on behalf of the Committee,
Sophie Paczesny, MD, PhD, Chair
Sherita Golden, MD, MHS, Vice Chair
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
DEIC resources
ASCI pages and posts
- Current DEIC members
- ASCI statement on diversity, inclusion, and equity
- Voters approve Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Committee for addition to bylaws
- ASCI definitions of diversity, equity, inclusion, and underrepresented in medicine and science
- ASCI Perspectives videos
Awards
Publications in the JCI Family of Journals
JCI Viewpoints
- The US biological sciences faculty gap in Asian representation
- The quagmire of race, genetic ancestry, and health disparities
- Innovations in MD-only physician-scientist training: experiences from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund physician-scientist institutional award initiative
- An immigrant’s experience: science is a discipline without borders
- Contributions of immigrants to biomedical research in the US: a personal reflection
- Getting into good trouble: Black lives matter and Black professors matter
- Promoting the success of women and minority physician-scientists in academic medicine: a dean’s perspective
- Toward realizing diversity in academic medicine
- Reflections of a Black woman physician-scientist
- A deliberate path toward diversity, equity, and inclusion within the ASCI
- COVID-19, racism, and thepursuit of health care and research worthy of trust
- Toward an equitable society: building a culture of antiracism in health care
- Controversies surrounding female athletes with differences in sexual development
- Using admission statistics to encourage diverse applicants to MD-PhD programs
- Equity and diversity in academic medicine: a perspective from the JCI editors
- The perils of intersectionality: racial and sexual harassment in medicine
- Diving beneath the surface: addressing gender inequities among clinical investigators
JCI Editorial
Presidential addresses
- 2021 ASCI: Physician-scientists in the pandemic era: tidal wave or rising tide?
- 2020 American Physician Scientist Association: “Stop scaring the children”: a call for resilient and tenacious optimism
- 2019 Association of American Physicians: Diversification in the medical sciences fuels growth of physician-scientists
JCI Insight
- Rectifying COVID-19 disparities with treatment and vaccination
- Mind the gap: expediting gender parity in MD-PhD admissions