The ACS has a long-standing commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, from early initiatives in the mid-20th century through more contemporary actions.
In 2001, the ACS Board of Regents published its first diversity commitment statement, which was updated in 2018. Two years later, the ACS Committee on Ethics and the Board of Regents issued a call to action that recognized racism as “a public health crisis, resulting in health care inequities” and asked "members of the organization to treat all patients—regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual preference—with compassion, skill, and fidelity,” as summarized by Immediate Past-ACS Executive Director, David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS.
Also in 2020, ACS leaders promptly moved to ensure that their stated commitments had corresponding actions to produce intended outcomes. The ACS Board of Regents appointed a Task Force on Racial Issues, which issued its report and recommendations in November 2020. A key recommendation was creation of the Office of Inclusive Excellence.
ACS Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The ACS actively promotes full participation in College activities by all surgeons. The ACS upholds the highest standards of leadership in our profession with its strong commitment to multiculturalism and equitable opportunity, respecting and nurturing the diversity of its membership. Fulfilling the ACS promise “To Heal All with Skill and Trust” requires the participation of Fellows from diverse and underrepresented groups. The ACS underscores this commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by ensuring that meaningful positions of leadership are held by Fellows from all constituent groups.
Regental Task Force
Surgical societies have started to acknowledge the need to address disparities within their ranks. In 2018, the American Surgical Association’s, (ASA), Task Force on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion published a landmark document titled Ensuring Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Academic Surgery. The Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS) published a Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit in 2020 that sought to address disparities in surgical education and the resulting long-term impact.
In November 2020, an ACS Regental Task Force on Racial Issues produced a comprehensive report, including recommendations for advancing DEI and addressing racism to ensure a more equitable College and society. In June 2021, the ACS organized the virtual Promoting DEI and Antiracism Professional Surgical Society Retreat as part of the ongoing effort to address diversity in surgery. Partner surgical organizations were invited to participate and were queried by survey prior to the event. There were several main themes that came out of the retreat, including the importance of data collection, defining metrics of success, improving the pipeline for URiM, and the creation of a comprehensive and practical toolkit.
