Moving diversity, equity, and inclusion from opinion to evidence

Abstract

Over the past decade, institutions have earmarked more resources to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). However, many struggle to measure the effectiveness of their efforts and communicate them to the scientific community. We offer suggestions for applying rigorous scientific methodology to DEI and ways to promote diversity in scientific journals. Over the past decade, institutions have earmarked more resources to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). However, many struggle to measure the effectiveness of their efforts and communicate them to the scientific community. We offer suggestions for applying rigorous scientific methodology to DEI and ways to promote diversity in scientific journals. Main textEmbracing a wider range of diversity, equity, and inclusion metricsMany clinical and academic institutions, especially academic medical centers, have (at least verbally) recognized the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to both innovation and excellence. DEI at most institutions is moving from being secondary to clinical, research, and educational missions to becoming acknowledged as core components of institutional success. This change has been a result of national standards set by governing bodies for accreditation (AAMC), research funding agencies (NIH, NSF, HHMI), and peri-academic societal pressures (the protests and civil unrest of 2020). Yet, these standards often just scratch the surface of DEI and mostly quantify actual diversity (difference) within an organization. Effectively measuring equity and inclusion has been just as important for institutional advancement, but less emphasized in programmatic efforts and evaluations.For example, in medical and doctoral programs, there is a great deal of attention paid to the diversity of an entering class of students. Recruitment efforts are often made through pipeline programs or visits to colleges. Application, interview, and matriculation numbers of students from underrepresented groups are tracked, and medical schools tout the percentage of students recruited who are underrepresented in medicine along with the overall GPA and MCAT scores of the entering class. However, when assessing inclusion, the unfavorable results of diversity climate surveys, which can measure how well faculty and students feel like they belong to and are in an are with the and can institutions of how to in institutions from the more as a or DEI and scientific to a wider range of for measuring DEI in their This with DEI and and can made at the national are often most at but to and scientific and funding agencies great in academic and national can to DEI at the national DEI and can at the institutional as and schools an their and for diversity, equity, and with the and by institutional at the example, many academic DEI but often for the being to of to DEI is in the is faculty the of of the DEI and are by faculty and to change institutions and students. the is and programs and of from to and are for a are of as and their and We have of promote change an to and as a DEI just for and underrepresented their in and becoming to to change with the to DEI and are institutions to from and for DEI to and research and the of civil unrest and of in many academic faculty often a or pipeline efforts the of from underrepresented groups who medicine and is is and the of by the and the and the and within their of a of and to and efforts moving in both and have been to the actual for example, is an for to in the and rigorous standards to the effectiveness of DEI institutions can to an DEI and their equity and inclusion in to example, a to a class of clinical by to the percentage of from underrepresented groups who and a of the entering class. the of through and groups and and programs to a more and who are to DEI which are and but are an institutional can to and for are of just or and and an and to measuring often as However, these diversity and inclusion, which is to within is often is as as to through a example, and and and are as and can the and of of their or to in the in and in at an a to the of and students is scientific methodology and and for and as as the which is an by both their and the they a to measure of in of can but for the and are with a of which can of is for as can the underrepresented for through a and students a of to and a of the underrepresented for through a of which the of in and the of being in the a measure of of is the in a of the and can to and of at a a to and quantify of a of of is a measure of of This can as a by the of a and of in and and in institutions, and and as a in of of This when of of a of equity and inclusion for students and faculty at a an important to is important to the of at an and how to of the ways to is by measuring in the can especially students and and and in the and and in example, the in by to with the and measure of the in and can when and the with being a in and the both from and can to or a for with with and and in the and just measuring in the is important for institutions to measure and their with and to overall of students and results can to and promote equity faculty and which to as institutions at their to the inclusion of their faculty and students. many institutions measure diversity or these and is the of an how and the is but of and within an can example, institutions can their for and their to and to and to more more and a and is important to institutions and their faculty or example, by faculty and their and to in of underrepresented and in the a research in a of of can in the the and the the and can measure institutional and quantify institutional can by assessing by and is and attention their institutional for inclusion and equity, which a wider of which as of and of a is a measure of and these in overall to measure institutions to equity, and diversity are at DEI in scientific and medical DEI in and medical have a DEI or a these have a to a them and DEI and to We to more of from rigorous to DEI efforts in the and community. a rigorous scientific to DEI is with the ways in which and of the of in or is to to the DEI is to in these example, from and to quantify and the of are in the can by to the the which and as a to past have the pipeline of the and as and programs the and the have a to as well as they are often the to scientific research has a for of and DEI example, has the for from underrepresented groups has the of in which an journals. through and We are to to and measure DEI efforts in to for DEI the change to to at for the scientific is to from underrepresented groups to becoming and is many of a of who are from for to can a This can through pipeline example, have programs as the for which and faculty to the of being a the of these programs to the of pipeline the underrepresented for through a the and the pipeline programs becoming academic a for faculty and to and have an at the institutions have been of DEI they to by and scientific a for DEI and and to how can to measure the of DEI efforts institutional We made for DEI to more rigorous institutions to more in and these and equity in both academic institutions and scientific journals. We as a to in more at institutional to in DEI and research, and the of in Main textEmbracing a wider range of diversity, equity, and inclusion metricsMany clinical and academic institutions, especially academic medical centers, have (at least verbally) recognized the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to both innovation and excellence. DEI at most institutions is moving from being secondary to clinical, research, and educational missions to becoming acknowledged as core components of institutional success. This change has been a result of national standards set by governing bodies for accreditation (AAMC), research funding agencies (NIH, NSF, HHMI), and peri-academic societal pressures (the protests and civil unrest of 2020). Yet, these standards often just scratch the surface of DEI and mostly quantify actual diversity (difference) within an organization. Effectively measuring equity and inclusion has been just as important for institutional advancement, but less emphasized in programmatic efforts and evaluations.For example, in medical and doctoral programs, there is a great deal of attention paid to the diversity of an entering class of students. Recruitment efforts are often made through pipeline programs or visits to colleges. Application, interview, and matriculation numbers of students from underrepresented groups are tracked, and medical schools tout the percentage of students recruited who are underrepresented in medicine along with the overall GPA and MCAT scores of the entering class. However, when assessing inclusion, the unfavorable results of diversity climate surveys, which can measure how well faculty and students feel like they belong to and are in an are with the and can institutions of how to in institutions from the more as a or DEI and scientific to a wider range of for measuring DEI in their This with DEI and and can made at the national are often most at but to and scientific and funding agencies great in academic and national can to DEI at the national DEI and can at the institutional as and schools an their and for diversity, equity, and with the and by institutional at the example, many academic DEI but often for the being to of to DEI is in the is faculty the of of the DEI and are by faculty and to change institutions and students. the is and programs and of from to and are for a are of as and their and We have of promote change an to and as a DEI just for and underrepresented their in and becoming to to change with the to DEI and are institutions to from and for DEI to and research and the of civil unrest and of in many academic faculty often a or pipeline efforts the of from underrepresented groups who medicine and is is and the of by the and the and the and within their of a of and to and efforts moving in both and have been to the actual for example, is an for to in the and rigorous standards to the effectiveness of DEI institutions can to an DEI and their equity and inclusion in to example, a to a class of clinical by to the percentage of from underrepresented groups who and a of the entering class. the of through and groups and and programs to a more and who are to DEI which are and but are an institutional can to and for are of just or and and an and to measuring often as However, these diversity and inclusion, which is to within is often is as as to through a example, and and and are as and can the and of of their or to in the in and in at an a to the of and students is scientific methodology and and for and as as the which is an by both their and the they a to measure of in of can but for the and are with a of which can of is for as can the underrepresented for through a and students a of to and a of the underrepresented for through a of which the of in and the of being in the a measure of of is the in a of the and can to and of at a a to and quantify of a of of is a measure of of This can as a by the of a and of in and and in institutions, and and as a in of of This when of of a of equity and inclusion for students and faculty at a an important to is important to the of at an and how to of the ways to is by measuring in the can especially students and and and in the and and in example, the in by to with the and measure of the in and can when and the with being a in and the both from and can to or a for with with and and in the and just measuring in the is important for institutions to measure and their with and to overall of students and results can to and promote equity faculty and which to as institutions at their to the inclusion of their faculty and students. many institutions measure diversity or these and is the of an how and the is but of and within an can example, institutions can their for and their to and to and to more more and a and is important to institutions and their faculty or example, by faculty and their and to in of underrepresented and in the a research in a of of can in the the and the the and can measure institutional and quantify institutional can by assessing by and is and attention their institutional for inclusion and equity, which a wider of which as of and of a is a measure of and these in overall to measure institutions to equity, and diversity are at DEI in scientific and medical DEI in and medical have a DEI or a these have a to a them and DEI and to We to more of from rigorous to DEI efforts in the and community. a rigorous scientific to DEI is with the ways in which and of the of in or is to to the DEI is to in these example, from and to quantify and the of are in the can by to the the which and as a to past have the pipeline of the and as and programs the and the have a to as well as they are often the to scientific research has a for of and DEI example, has the for from underrepresented groups has the of in which an journals. through and We are to to and measure DEI efforts in to for DEI the change to to at for the scientific is to from underrepresented groups to becoming and is many of a of who are from for to can a This can through pipeline example, have programs as the for which and faculty to the of being a the of these programs to the of pipeline the underrepresented for through a the and the pipeline programs becoming academic a for faculty and to and have an at the a wider range of diversity, equity, and inclusion metricsMany clinical and academic institutions, especially academic medical centers, have (at least verbally) recognized the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to both innovation and excellence. DEI at most institutions is moving from being secondary to clinical, research, and educational missions to becoming acknowledged as core components of institutional success. This change has been a result of national standards set by governing bodies for accreditation (AAMC), research funding agencies (NIH, NSF, HHMI), and peri-academic societal pressures (the protests and civil unrest of 2020). Yet, these standards often just scratch the surface of DEI and mostly quantify actual diversity (difference) within an organization. Effectively measuring equity and inclusion has been just as important for institutional advancement, but less emphasized in programmatic efforts and evaluations.For example, in medical and doctoral programs, there is a great deal of attention paid to the diversity of an entering class of students. Recruitment efforts are often made through pipeline programs or visits to colleges. Application, interview, and matriculation numbers of students from underrepresented groups are tracked, and medical schools tout the percentage of students recruited who are underrepresented in medicine along with the overall GPA and MCAT scores of the entering class. However, when assessing inclusion, the unfavorable results of diversity climate surveys, which can measure how well faculty and students feel like they belong to and are in an are with the and can institutions of how to in institutions from the more as a or clinical and academic institutions, especially academic medical centers, have (at least verbally) recognized the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to both innovation and excellence. DEI at most institutions is moving from being secondary to clinical, research, and educational missions to becoming acknowledged as core components of institutional success. This change has been a result of national standards set by governing bodies for accreditation (AAMC), research funding agencies (NIH, NSF, HHMI), and peri-academic societal pressures (the protests and civil unrest of 2020). Yet, these standards often just scratch the surface of DEI and mostly quantify actual diversity (difference) within an organization. Effectively measuring equity and inclusion has been just as important for institutional advancement, but less emphasized in programmatic efforts and example, in medical and doctoral programs, there is a great deal of attention paid to the diversity of an entering class of students. Recruitment efforts are often made through pipeline programs or visits to colleges. Application, interview, and matriculation numbers of students from underrepresented groups are tracked, and medical schools tout the percentage of students recruited who are underrepresented in medicine along with the overall GPA and MCAT scores of the entering class. However, when assessing inclusion, the unfavorable results of diversity climate surveys, which can measure how well faculty and students feel like they belong to and are in an are with the and can institutions of how to in institutions from the more as a or DEI and scientific to a wider range of for measuring DEI in their This with DEI and and can made at the national are often most at but to and scientific and funding agencies great in academic and national can to DEI at the national DEI and can at the institutional as and schools an their and for diversity, equity, and with the and by institutional at the example, many academic DEI but often for the being to of to DEI is in the is faculty the of of the DEI and are by faculty and to change institutions and students. the is and programs and of from to and are for a are of as and their and We have of promote change an to and as a DEI just for and underrepresented their in and becoming to to change with the scientific to a wider range of for measuring DEI in their This with DEI and and can made at the national are often most at but to and scientific and funding agencies great in academic and national can to DEI at the national DEI and can at the institutional as and schools an their and for diversity, equity, and with the and by institutional at the example, many academic DEI but often for the being to of to DEI is in the is faculty the of of the DEI and are by faculty and to change institutions and students. the is and programs and of from to and are for a are of as and their and We have of promote change an to and as a DEI just for and underrepresented their in and becoming to to change with the to DEI and are institutions to from and for DEI to and research and the of civil unrest and of in many academic faculty often a or pipeline efforts the of from underrepresented groups who medicine and is is and the of by the and the and the and within their of a of and to and efforts moving in both and have been to the actual for example, is an for to in the and rigorous standards to the effectiveness of DEI institutions can to an DEI and their equity and inclusion in to example, a to a class of clinical by to the percentage of from underrepresented groups who and a of the entering class. the of through and groups and and programs to a more and who are to DEI which are and but are an institutional can to and for are of just or and and an and and are institutions to from and for DEI to and research and the of civil unrest and of in many academic faculty often a or pipeline efforts the of from underrepresented groups who medicine and is is and the of by the and the and the and within their of a of and to and efforts moving in both and have been to the actual for example, is an for to in the and rigorous standards to the effectiveness of DEI institutions can to an DEI and their equity and inclusion in to example, a to a class of clinical by to the percentage of from underrepresented groups who and a of the entering class. the of through and groups and and programs to a more and who are to DEI which are and but are an institutional can to and for are of just or and and an and to measuring often as However, these diversity and inclusion, which is to within is often is as as to through a example, and and and are as and can the and of of their or to in the in and in at an a to the of and students is scientific methodology and and for and as as the which is an by both their and the they a to measure of in of can but for the and are with a of which can of is for as can the underrepresented for through a and students a of to and a of the underrepresented for through a of which the of in and the of being in the a measure of of is the in a of the and can to and of at a a to and quantify of a of of is a measure of of This can as a by the of a and of in and and in institutions, and and as a in of of This when of of a of equity and inclusion for students and faculty at a an important to is important to the of at an and how to of the ways to is by measuring in the can especially students and and and in the and and in example, the in by to with the and measure of the in and can when and the with being a in and the both from and can to or a for with with and and in the and just measuring in the is important for institutions to measure and their with and to overall of students and results can to and promote equity faculty and which to as institutions at their to the inclusion of their faculty and students. many institutions measure diversity or these and is the of an how and the is but of and within an can example, institutions can their for and their to and to and to more more and a and is important to institutions and their faculty or example, by faculty and their and to in of underrepresented and in the a research in a of of can in the the and the the and can measure institutional and quantify institutional can by assessing by and is and attention their institutional for inclusion and equity, which a wider of which as of and of a is a measure of and these in overall to measure institutions to equity, and diversity are at often as However, these diversity and inclusion, which is to within is often is as as to through a example, and and and are as and can the and of of their or to in the in and in at an a to the of and students is scientific methodology and and for and as as the which is an by both their and the they a to measure of in of can but for the and are with a of which can of is for as can the underrepresented for through a and students a of to and a of the underrepresented for through a of which the of in and the of being in the a measure of of is the in a of the and can to and of at a a to and quantify of a of of is a measure of of This can as a by the of a and of in and and in institutions, and and as a in of of This when of of a of equity and inclusion for students and faculty at a an important to is important to the of at an and how to of the ways to is by measuring in the can especially students and and and in the and and in example, the in by to with the and measure of the in and can when and the with being a in and the both from and can to or a for with with and and in the and just measuring in the is important for institutions to measure and their with and to overall of students and results can to and promote equity faculty and which to as institutions at their to the inclusion of their faculty and students. many institutions measure diversity or these and is the of an how and the is but of and within an can example, institutions can their for and their to and to and to more more and a and is important to institutions and their faculty or example, by faculty and their and to in of underrepresented and in the a research in a of of can in the the and the the and can measure institutional and quantify institutional can by assessing by and is and attention their institutional for inclusion and equity, which a wider of which as of and of a is a measure of and these in overall to measure institutions to equity, and diversity are at DEI in scientific and medical DEI in and medical have a DEI or a these have a to a them and DEI and to We to more of from rigorous to DEI efforts in the and community. a rigorous scientific to DEI is with the ways in which and of the of in or is to to the DEI is to in these example, from and to quantify and the of are in the can by to the the which and as a to past have the pipeline of the and as and programs the and the have a to as well as they are often the to scientific research has a for of and DEI example, has the for from underrepresented groups has the of in which an journals. through and We are to to and measure DEI efforts in to for DEI the change to DEI in and medical have a DEI or a these have a to a them and DEI and to We to more of from rigorous to DEI efforts in the and community. a rigorous scientific to DEI is with the ways in which and of the of in or is to to the DEI is to in these example, from and to quantify and the of are in the can by to the the which and as a to past have the pipeline of the and as and programs the and the have a to as well as they are often the to scientific research has a for of and DEI example, has the for from underrepresented groups has the of in which an journals. through and We are to to and measure DEI efforts in to for DEI the change to to at for the scientific is to from underrepresented groups to becoming and is many of a of who are from for to can a This can through pipeline example, have programs as the for which and faculty to the of being a the of these programs to the of pipeline the underrepresented for through a the and the pipeline programs becoming academic a for faculty and to and have an at the for the scientific is to from underrepresented groups to becoming and is many of a of who are from for to can a This can through pipeline example, have programs as the for which and faculty to the of being a the of these programs to the of pipeline the underrepresented for through a the and the pipeline programs becoming academic a for faculty and to and have an at the institutions have been of DEI they to by and scientific a for DEI and and to how can to measure the of DEI efforts institutional We made for DEI to more rigorous institutions to more in and these and equity in both academic institutions and scientific journals. We as a to in more at institutional to in DEI and research, and the of in institutions have been of DEI they to by and scientific a for DEI and and to how can to measure the of DEI efforts institutional We made for DEI to more rigorous institutions to more in and these and equity in both academic institutions and scientific journals. We as a to in more at institutional to in DEI and research, and the of in

Topics & Concepts