Students must feel they belong to achieve inclusion
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Gary Y. Chu, OD, MPH, FAAO, highlighted the need to create a sense of belonging on the path toward inclusion and equity, during an overview of the state of diversity in optometry at the American Academy of Optometry virtual meeting.
Chu opened his presentation quoting the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, which stated: “As the U.S. population becomes increasingly diverse, more health agencies are seeking to have a workforce that reflects the general population in terms of race, ethnicity and socioeconomic backgrounds.”
“When you think about diversity, we have the workforce, but we need to think about inclusion and belonging, where we’re mentoring and where we’re providing leadership roles, because hearing the different input, understanding and upbringings from of every individual helps us make better decisions for everyone,” said Chu, vice president of professional affairs at the New England College of Optometry, during his presentation.
He shared data indicating that the U.S. population in 2018 was 60.5% white, 18.3% Hispanic, 12.5% Black, 5.7% Asian, 2.4% multiracial and 0.6% listed as other. Projected statistics show that by 2045, the population will be 49.7% white, 24.6% Hispanic, 13.1% Black, 7.9% Asian, 3.8% multiracial and 0.9% listed as other.
“We know the terms multiracial or biracial or different ethnicity are all going to roll into one and we need to take a good look at how we as a profession, as schools and colleges of optometry, are going to collect that data,” he said.
Chu then presented data that showed, across MDs, dentists, PharmDs, ODs and physician assistants, 67% to 78% were white, with representation from other races and ethnicities ranging from 2% to 20%. Similar disparity exists among faculty and students.
“Why is diversity important? It influences how we as optometrists deliver health care,” Chu said. “We all know there are cultural challenges that are posed on us by the shifting, dynamic demographics and we need to understand this so we can provide care to our patients. We can also learn from students; we can learn from one another. This is not about patient care. It is also played out in our practices with our staff and in our learning environments.”
Chu advocated that the commitment for diversity, equity and inclusion — along with developing a sense of belonging — starts with students. Not only is recruitment important, he said, but creating an environment where students are given power and dignity to maximize their talents and help one another as well as patients.
“A workforce, a student body, a profession may be diverse, but if minority groups (all forms) are not included, segregation is the result, and the benefits of diversity are not achieved,” Chu said. “It is through organizational and individual commitment to have all groups heard and understood before the value of diversity is appreciated. It takes a concerted effort, not from an individual but from an organization and a profession. With sound strategy and defined goals that translate to defined results, we will one day make great strides to improve this great profession, which is a worthy goal.”
Reference:
- National Center for Health Workforce Analysis. Sex, race, and ethnic diversity of U.S. health occupations (2010-2012). Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2015.
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Chu GY. Current state of diversity in our schools and colleges of optometry. Presented at American Academy of Optometry meeting; October 7-22, 2020; virtual meeting.
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