ACGME Equity Matters Symposium Commemorates Completion of Pilot Learning Communities

The ACGME convened the members of the first ACGME Equity Matters^TM Learning Communities last week in Chicago to celebrate the completion of their engagement cycle and share projects developed from the initiative. The ACGME Equity Matters Symposium was hosted by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL), one of the cohort sponsors, at its offices, and included the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS), the Organization of Program Director Associations (OPDA), and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) leaders who make up the four Learning Communities.

More than 100 leaders doing DEI work around the country attended the Symposium. Drs. Derek Robinson (BCBSIL), Helen Burstin (CMSS), and William McDade (ACGME) kicked-off the program, which featured presentations of capstone projects from participants in the four Learning Communities, highlights of DEI initiatives from BCBSIL and CMSS, discussion groups, networking, and planning for the future.

Presentation topics included resident/fellow and faculty member recruitment and retention initiatives, building inclusive learning environments, development of DEI training models, and strategies for sustainable DEI initiatives.

Dr. Bonnie Simpson Mason, former ACGME vice president, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and current medical director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the American College of Surgeons, gave the closing plenary. Dr. Mason was integral to the creation and implementation of ACGME Equity Matters and reflected on the impressive progress the community has made over the last 18 months.

The Symposium served as a celebration to recognize the culmination of incredible work carried out over two years by hundreds of leaders dedicated to driving change within graduate medical education in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition to the two-day event, a toolkit was released earlier this year to support programs, institutions, and organizations with "how" to achieve equity, meaningfully and sustainably.

To learn more about ACGME Equity Matters, visit the web page on the ACGME website.