Objective: Since the 2020 murder of George Floyd, talk of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has peppered every aspect of American life, with Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN) being no exception. In attempting to address healthcare inequities and disparities, OBGYN residency programs have recognized the importance of having a residency cohort that reflects the patients that they serve and their surrounding communities/values. The objective of this session is to initiate conversation about how best to support URM OBGYN applicants while delineating specific and actionable tools that can propel these applicants to a successful residency match.
Methods: This session will include:
A.) An evidence-based review of the available data regarding URMs in the OBGYN match (5 min)
B.)“Sharing Stories from the Trenches”: Participants will be introduced to “BroDocTalk”, a novel social media resource developed for URMs to navigate the residency match and beyond (20 min)
C.) Identify specific barriers for URMs in the match while offering tools on how to construct best maximize a URM student’s chance of success in the OBGYN match (35 min)
Results: Guided facilitated discussion/ idea exchange on 1) letter-writing, 2) interview etiquette and 3) dealing with bias in interviewing will occur using actual clinical scenarios. Participants will outline challenges that they have faced in mentoring URM applicants and propose both concrete and actionable solutions.
Conclusion/ Discussion: Participants will receive a toolkit including key articles, a handout on top URM applicant priorities and social media resources for local use and dissemination to set up URM applicants for success. Data have shown that patients have improved healthcare outcomes when they receive race-concordant care. Increasing the diversity of the OBGYN workforce, starting at the residency level, will make strides in confronting the intersection of racism and healthcare inequities. Ensuring increased equity in the match process makes great strides in fostering a culture of inclusion within OBGYN.
Topics: Faculty Development Seminar, 2023, Student, Resident, Faculty, Residency Director, Residency Coordinator, Professionalism, Systems-Based Practice & Improvement, Interpersonal & Communication Skills, GME, UME,
Omar Young, MD, FACOG; Henry Lewis, MSCN, MA, CHES
