ACGME Diversity Leader Speaks at Desmond A. Jordan, MD Memorial Lecture

On Thursday, June 16, members of the Department of Anesthesiology and the Department of Surgery honored the memory of their colleague, Desmond A. Jordan, MD, with the launch of an eponymous endowed lecture series. The first speaker in the series was William McDade, MD, PhD, the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

Dr. McDade’s lecture was entitled “Diversity in Graduate Medical Education.” The ACGME is advancing an evidence-based transformation of graduate medical education that includes diversity and inclusion in the physician workforce as one of its essential aims.

It is critical to address the social and political determinants of health and Dr. McDade emphasized that a racially concordant workforce also will help improve equity in healthcare. When patients see themselves in their physicians, they are likely to establish a relationship, will be more likely to access care with those physicians, and will communicate more effectively. He presented evidence that patients will be more likely to follow medical advice, leading to improved clinical outcomes.

Dr. McDade introduced a host of strategies that could be used by residency programs to attract and retain diverse trainees. The strategies include systematic retention by providing necessary support and mentorship in the learning environment, as well as increasing the number of learners from underrepresented groups in pathway programs.

Dr. McDade, an anesthesiologist and intensivist, employed statistics to examine the current state of diversity in most of the medical specialties. In anesthesiology, care inequity concerns could include management of postoperative pain and postpartum pain, trauma care outcomes, and whether parental presence is permitted at pediatric induction.

The inaugural Jordan Memorial lecture drew scores of attendees from the institution to the Alumni Auditorium, including faculty, staff and trainees from the departments of anesthesiology, surgery, cardiology, emergency medicine, nursing, and biomedical informatics.

Dr. McDade was selected to introduce the annual lecture series by an interdisciplinary twelve-member committee comprised of the late Dr. Jordan's colleagues. Read more here about Dr. Jordan, and more about Dr. McDade and the speaker selection process here.