AAOS creates initiative to inspire inclusion, diversity, equity and access in orthopedics
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has announced the creation of the AAOS IDEA grant program, an initiative that will fund educational, community and outreach programs that inspire diversity across orthopedics.
According to a press release, the AAOS intends on committing at least $1 million in the next 5 years to four tracks of grants with the following diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) focuses:
- Track 1 - Touchpoints: These grants support single event programs to promote DEI for learners or practicing orthopedic surgeons.
- Track 2 - Retention: These grants support organizations, programs and events that focus on recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce in orthopedic surgery.
- Track 3 - Community retention/support: These grants support programs and events that focus on retaining and supporting a diverse workforce in a private or remote setting.
- Track 4 - Academic retention/support: These grants support programs and events that focus on retaining and supporting a diverse workforce within U.S. academic centers.
“The AAOS is committed to helping address decades of inertia surrounding persistent disparities across orthopedics to better serve our patients,” Felix H. “Buddy” Savoie III, MD, FAAOS, president of AAOS, said in the release. “At an organization level, we have made progress toward our goal of evolving the culture and governance to be more diverse, and we will continue to move the needle forward each year. We look forward to expanding that footprint by creating robust pathways through the AAOS IDEA grant program for successive generations to have the support and encouragement to pursue careers within musculoskeletal care,” Savoie added.
“Fostering diversity is one of the AAOS' strategic goals designed to advance its mission of serving the profession, championing the interests of patients and advancing the highest quality musculoskeletal health,” Anthony E. Johnson, MD, FAAOS, chair of the diversity advisory board at AAOS, said in the release. “Through the AAOS IDEA grant program, we are making strides – one step at a time – to fundamentally address the gaps across gender, culture and ethnicity in our field. It is going to take time to break down barriers, but we believe this program will inspire further action and change,” he said.
According to the release, applicants can review the evaluation criteria and application terms at aaos.org/IDEA.
Read more about
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts