CMSS Launches Joint Project Focused on Driving Measurable Improvement in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Medicine and Names Advisory Committee

NEWS RELEASE

Chicago, IL (June 21, 2022) —

CMSS is proud to collaborate with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) on the ACGME Equity Matters™ initiative to lead the effort in driving measurable improvements in diversity, equity, and inclusion in medicine alongside various associations.

We are pleased to share that 21 specialty societies and program director associations will participate in a CMSS Joint Capstone Project focused on a) identifying and implementing cross-society strategies to increase the diversity of applicants into medical school while reducing barriers to entry and b) working with specialty societies to increase the presence and availability of mentorship type programs for those historically underrepresented in medicine.

An Advisory Committee will provide high-level expertise, leadership, and strategic insight during the tenure of an effort focused on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in medicine and countering structural racism.

CMSS has named Dr. Bonnie Mason, current Medical Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at the American College of Surgeons and Clinical Professor at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, as Chair of the Joint Capstone Advisory Committee. We are eager to see her lead this great group of leaders.

Bonnie Simpson Mason, MD, FAAOS (ACS)
Chair of CMSS Joint Capstone Advisory Committee
Medical Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
American College of Surgeons
Clinical Professor
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

Marques Levar Bradshaw, MD, MSCR (SNMMI)
Vice Chair of Diversity Affairs in the Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences
Associate Professor of Clinical Radiology and Radiological Sciences
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine 

Maximo O. Brito, MD, MPH (IDSA)
Professor of Medicine
Director, Urban Global Medicine Program
Chief of Infectious Diseases, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center
The University of Illinois, College of Medicine 

Jason Cobb, MD (ASN)
Associate Professor, Emory School of Medicine
Emory University Hospital Midtown

Ramon E. Gist, MD, FAAP (SCCM)
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Director, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
Clinical Director, Kings Against Violence Initiative (KAVI)
SUNY Downstate Medical Center

Reena Karani, MD, MHPE, FACP, AGSF (AGS)
Director, Institute for Medical Education
Professor of Medical Education, Medicine, and Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Farah D. Lubin, Ph.D. (AES)
Associate Professor & Endowed Scholar in Neuroscience
Director, Graduate Neuroscience Roadmap Scholar Program
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)

Vyjeyanthi S. Periyakoil, MD (AAHPM)
Professor of Medicine,
Associate Dean of Research
Director, SAGE Transdisciplinary Research Center
Stanford University

Margot L. Savoy, MD, MPH, FAAFP (AAFP)
Senior Vice President, Education
American Academy of Family Physicians

Neeta Thakur, MD, MPH (ATS)
Associate Professor in Residence
University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine

Melissa P. Upton, MD (ASCP)
Emeritus Professor of Pathology
University of Washington, UW Medicine 

Carla P. Watson, MD, FAAPMR (AAPMR)
Physician Advisor
OSF – Little Company of Mary Hospital

“We are thrilled to have these visionary leaders guiding our cross-specialty strategic efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in medicine and counter structural racism. The key to this effort will be the cross-collaboration among specialty societies and their leadership commitment to sustainable results,” said Helen Burstin, MD, MPH, MACP, CEO of the Council of Medical Specialty Societies.

The Advisory Committee will be providing strategic guidance to the following groups working collaboratively on this effort.

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CMSS was created to provide an independent forum for the discussion by medical specialists of issues of national interest and mutual concern. Today, 48 societies with more than 800,000 U.S. physician members are members of CMSS. CMSS’ mission is to support and strengthen member societies to address future challenges; catalyze improvement through convening, collaboration, collective voice and action across specialties; and provide a proactive platform to assess and address emerging and critical issues across specialty societies that influence the future of healthcare and the patients we serve.

Contacts:

Susan White, Vice President, Communication, ACGME
swhite@acgme.org

Julia Peterson, Operations Manager, CMSS
jpeterson@cmss.org