The ACS has a long-standing commitment to taking strategic actions that foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture that enhances excellence, does not cause harm, and yields better outcomes for all staff, surgeons, and the patients they serve. This work builds upon the College’s early initiatives in the mid-20th century through more contemporary actions.
In 2001, the ACS Board of Regents published its first diversity commitment statement, which was updated in 2018. Two years later, the ACS Committee on Ethics and the Board of Regents issued a call to action that recognized racism as “a public health crisis, resulting in health care inequities” and asked "members of the organization to treat all patients—regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual preference—with compassion, skill, and fidelity,” as summarized by Immediate Past-ACS Executive Director, David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS.
Also in 2020, ACS leaders promptly moved to ensure that their stated commitments had corresponding actions to produce intended outcomes. The ACS Board of Regents appointed a Task Force on Racial Issues, which issued its report and recommendations in November 2020. A key recommendation was creation of the Office of Inclusive Excellence.
The ACS Board of Regents reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to this work in February 2024; and in August 2024, the Board approved using the term “Inclusive Excellence” instead of DEI to reflect the evolution and expansion of the work. Inclusive Excellence was also the ACS President’s theme for 2023-2024, making the name change even more relevant.
Regental Task Force
Surgical societies have started to acknowledge the need to address disparities within their ranks. In 2018, the American Surgical Association’s, (ASA), Task Force on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion published a landmark document titled Ensuring Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Academic Surgery. The Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS) published a Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit in 2020 that sought to address disparities in surgical education and the resulting long-term impact.
In November 2020, an ACS Regental Task Force on Racial Issues produced a comprehensive report, including recommendations for advancing DEI and addressing racism to ensure a more equitable College and society. In June 2021, the ACS convened a virtual session, “Promoting DEI and Antiracism Professional Surgical Society Retreat.” Several themes emerged from the retreat, including creation of a dedicated Office within ACS, defining metrics of success, and the development of a comprehensive and practical toolkit. In October 2021, the work of the Regental Task Force was transitioned to a new Regental committee, now known as the Committee on Inclusive Exclusive.
