'Bold, beacon, boom': Outgoing president touts ACG legacy in diversity, representation
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As his presidency comes to a close, Samir A. Shah, MD, FACG, reflected on the progress made during his tenure, with significant strides in expanding representation and diversity within ACG.
“One year ago, when I accepted the role of president, I highlighted three words to guide my year of service: bold, beacon and boom,” Shah, clinical professor of medicine at Brown University’s Alpert Medical School, told attendees at the ACG Annual Scientific Meeting. “While much work remains, we are making great progress.”
According to Shah, only with ample representation from women and underrepresented groups can ACG continue to advance the specialty and fuel the “boom” that will drive progress. He noted that while only 27% of ACG membership is female, concerted efforts have been made to address gender inequality in both the specialty and the College itself.
“In terms of leadership, as of this meeting, 27% of our governors are women and growing, 30% of our Board of Trustees, 50% of our editors-in-chief of the Red Journal and 30% of our associate editors are women,” Shah said. “At this meeting, 100% of postgraduate course directors and approximately 51% of the faculty, postgraduate course, annual meeting, pharmacology, pathology and imaging, and practice management courses were women. This past year, 41% of the regional course directors and 47% of the regional speakers were women; [in addition] 42% of committee chairs are women, and as of today our chair and vice chair of the Board of Governors are women. So, boom.”
Shah noted that initiatives focused on underrepresented groups; diversity, equity and inclusion; and LGBTQ issues have also significantly grown during his presidency.
“We have expanded our DEI committee under the leadership of Sophie Balzora and received guidance from our equity think tank,” he said. “Last year, the ACG Institute established the Center for Leadership Ethics and Equity, as well as the Human Health Equity Research Award to support this additional clinical research in this space within GI.”
Shah also used “Bold” as another rule to guide his tenure and approach problems facing ACG membership, as well as physicians’ patients, head-on.
“To that end, we have engaged with our sister societies and conferred with other specialties, including cardiology, to advocate for changes in the MOC process to make it more relevant, and about continual learning and not just about testing.”
Shah noted that “the ACG has been a beacon for clinical gastroenterology for 90 years,” a legacy that he is committed to maintaining in the future.
“We continue to expand benefits to our membership by providing resources to help us keep up to date with many challenges in daily practice,” Shah said. “Our website GI.org and mobile apps have been updated to make it easy to access local resources in one place. With the pandemic we enacted virtual Grand Rounds. As of early October, we have launched over 22 programs, touching over 69,500 viewers — a huge success and something that has become a staple for many of us to stay up to date with our journals.”
Under the leadership of the incoming president, Daniel J. Pambianco, MD, FACG, Shah noted that the ACG will continue to be “a bright beacon” for its members.
“With Dan at the helm, I believe the beacon of the ACG will shine brighter and dispel the darkness,” Shah said. “I firmly believe that we’re at an inflection point in our history with incredible advances in technology and medical knowledge, yet at the same time, challenges with the pandemic, increased workload, staffing, burnout and diversity.
“Whether we make advances and make progress or sink is up to us, our collective resolve, our ability to support each other and tenacity to change the outcome. Together, I’m confident we will succeed.”
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Shah SA. Presidential Address. Presented at: ACG Annual Scientific Meeting; Oct. 21-26, 2022; Charlotte, NC (hybrid meeting).
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