A special edition of the open-access journal Frontiers is guest-edited by Sylk Sotto, EdD, MBA, MPS, and additionally features submissions by Department of Medicine faculty.
The edition, titled “Breaking Barriers to Diversify the Physician Workforce in Frontiers in Public Health,” explores innovative ideas about diversifying the physician workforce, and to retaining underrepresented physicians once they have been recruited.
From the description:
“One strategy has focused on recruitment as early as elementary school to build the bachelors to doctorate in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine pipeline. But more data are needed to determine efficacy and cost-effectiveness of these efforts. While efforts to diversify physician workforce are underway, there needs to be better guidance on strategies and best practices for retaining our URM physicians, as well as caring for minority ethnic people irrespective of physician identities.
Among the 17 authors included in the edition, two are Department of Medicine faculty.
Areeba Kara, MD, and colleagues authored the article “Serving on a Graduate Medical Education Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Committee: Lessons Learned From a Journey of Growth and Healing.” Sacha Sharp, PhD, and colleagues authored the article, “Understanding the Experiences of Black Women Medical Students and Residents: A Narrative Review.” (Sotto recused herself from submissions authored by IU School of Medicine faculty, as well as from submissions from individuals from other institutions she knows personally.)
Sotto is Vice-chair for Faculty Affairs and Professional Development and Vice-chair for Diversity, Health Equity, and Inclusion. She said she was excited to be guest editor for this edition, and enjoyed the privilege of reading excellent work on this topic.
“It was an honor to take this project on, and I was grateful for the opportunity to contribute to equity in academic medicine,” she said. “It has also given me a look at the peer-review and editorial process. Lesson #1: It is hard to find reviewers!”
