Journal of the American College of Surgeons
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Review
Moving Beyond Diversity: A Scoping Review of Inclusion Initiatives in the Surgical Workforce.
Addressing racial disparities within the surgical workforce is vital to provide quality care to all patients; inclusion is critical to do so. Inclusion signifies a move beyond numerical representation; tangible goals include reducing attrition and maximizing career development. The aims of this review were to (1) test whether there are academically published interventions or frameworks addressing inclusion in the surgical workforce and (2) characterize these interventions or frameworks. ⋯ Common themes included systematic reform of recruitment policies and practices, increased access to targeted mentorship, gaining leadership support, and increased avenues for underrepresented faculty advancement. While limited, promising work has been undertaken through national collaboration and model institutional work. Future considerations may include incentivizing academic publication of inclusion work, increasing access to funding, and rewarding these efforts in career advancement.