A new collection of articles, now available online, highlights the critical importance of nurturing a diverse next generation of infectious diseases specialists and leaders. Published as an IDSA-sponsored supplement to The Journal of Infectious Diseases, the articles build on a 2019 supplement, part of an ongoing effort to improve inclusion, diversity, access, and equity within IDSA and the field as a whole.
“Recent years have seen worrisome trends in the number of residents entering the ID field, and now more than ever, we need to reverse these trends by building a diverse ID workforce and leadership that inspires the next generation of applicants and reflects the diversity of our patients,” said IDSA Immediate Past President Cynthia L. Sears, M.D., FIDSA, Archana Chatterjee, M.D., Ph.D., FIDSA, and Jonathan Li, M.D., FIDSA, who served as the journal supplement’s editors. “We hope that this supplement will act as both an educational medium and a catalyst to help nurture a diverse next generation of clinicians, scientists, and leaders in ID.”
William G. Powderly, MD, the Dr. J. William Campbell Professor of Medicine, co-director of the Infectious Diseases Division at Washington University School of Medicine, the Larry J. Shapiro Director, Institute of Public Health, and past president of IDSA has been a champion for inclusion, diversity, and equity in infectious diseases in the 2019 JID supplement and in 2020 shares his thoughts as a leader during conception and launch of the the IDAE movement within the IDSA.
Dr. Powderly contributed to the closing article “Pathways to Leadership: Reflections of Recent Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Leaders During Conception and Launch of the Inclusion, Diversity, Access, and Equity Movement Within the IDSA”, along with Cynthia L. Sears, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Paul G Auwaerter, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Barbara D Alexander, MD, Duke University School of Medicine, and Thomas M File, Jr, MD, Summa Health, Akron, Ohio., all who long worked with IDSA and served in leadership positions within the Society. In this article they detail their own personal journeys and provide advice on career development and paths to leadership.
The journal supplement’s articles include:
- A summary of the major priorities that IDSA’s Inclusion, Diversity, Access & Equity Task Force will focus on to drive improvements in these areas;
- A survey-based study on barriers and strategies to close the gap in academic advancement between men and women faculty members, and policy recommendations to address these gaps;
- A review of the importance of cultural competence and humility in the care of patients, the importance of diversity in ID research, and strategies and metrics to improve cultural competency.
Additional articles detail and celebrate the remarkable history of women and African American pioneers in the ID field, including Dr. George Counts and his impact on a generation of physicians and scientists.
“Inclusion, Diversity, Access and Equity in Infectious Diseases: Nurturing the Next Generation of Clinicians, Scientists and Leaders” appears with the Oct. 15 issue of JID and is available online.
-adapted from JID press release
The Journal of Infectious Diseases (JID) is the premier global journal for original research on infectious disease and is an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). Based in Arlington, Va., IDSA is a professional society representing more than 12,000 physicians and scientists who specialize in infectious diseases. For more information, visit www.idsociety.org. Follow IDSA on Facebook and Twitter.