Initiative Promotes Equity in Medical Training, Practice

July 29, 2021
Council of Medical Specialty Societies partners with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education on framework for continuous learning and process improvement in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion

The Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) has partnered with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to launch ACGME Equity Matters,, an initiative that introduces a framework for continuous learning and process improvement in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and anti-racism practices.

The initiative aims to drive change within graduate medical education by increasing physician workforce diversity and building safe and inclusive learning environments while promoting health equity by addressing racial disparities in health care and overall population health.

To make significant progress, those charged with physician training and ongoing education for physicians must commit to advance advancing equity and counter racism across the full continuum. In this collaborative effort, the ACGME and CMSS will seek to drive measurable improvements in equity by working to increase physician workforce diversity and create clinical and learning environments that are safe, inclusive, and equitable.

CMSS, a coalition of 45 specialty societies, represents more than 800,000 physicians, and the Organization of Program Director Associations (OPDA), a convened group of CMSS, launched their participation in the program this week with the convening of two Learning Communities that will embark on an 18-month engagement cycle. This partnership between CMSS, OPDA, and the ACGME will support DEI and anti-racist practices and policies across the full continuum of physician training to physicians in practice. Core teams from CMSS and OPDA members will include an elected leader to champion the initiative and senior executive leaders who will be accountable for implementing the policy and practice changes. The program will offer a phased curriculum, tools, and skills training which will provide lessons to help drive implementation of innovative interventions, practices, policies, and data strategies that support DEI and anti-racism.

Forty-two organizations including 31 CMSS Member Specialty Societies and 11 Program Director Associations will be participating in the inaugural 18-month cohort of the learning communities. Participating societies include the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians, the American College of Radiology, who in many cases are participating alongside their partner Program Director Associations, such as the Association of Pediatric Program Directors. Future cohorts will permit additional member organizations to join the learning communities. CMSS and the ACGME are committed to sharing learnings with the broader medical community.

“We are committed to the significant and sustained efforts that will be needed to achieve diversity, equity, and inclusion in medicine and counter structural racism,” said Helen Burstin, M.D., M.P.H., CEO of the CMSS, in a statement. “Specialty societies and program director associations committed to this partnership to achieve actionable recommendations and real results.”

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