DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
SAEM PULSE | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020
Illustration by: Moises Gallegos, MD, MPH
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Opportunity Cost to Advancing Diversity and Inclusion: The Hidden Fees of the Minority Tax By Edgar Ordonez, MD, MPH Organizational efforts to increase diversity and achieve inclusive excellence have been in the spotlight over the last few decades, especially in higher education. Many institutions have developed strategic initiatives to promote a mission of a diverse, inclusive, and equitable culture through various means. These may include implementing task forces, committees, and appointing leaders of diversity
within their organizations. In the medical field, this has been partly in response to the marked disparities in medical education and the healthcare workforce, particularly for those underrepresented in medicine (URM). More than one hundred years after the Flexner Report, which impacted the training of Black and AfricanAmerican physicians, we are still seeking a more equitable distribution amongst racial and ethnic groups in academic medicine. However, the duty
to respond to these disparities primarily falls on the shoulders of members of these minoritized groups, which can lead to unintended consequences. While this article centers around underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in medicine, these responsibilities also exist within all marginalized groups who have experienced discrimination due to gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, ability, socioeconomic, and immigrant status.