ABFM Research Department to Launch Equity and Diversity Policy Brief Series

The ABFM research department, in partnership with the Robert Graham Center for Policy Studies in Washington D.C., is launching a multi-year policy brief series on Examining Equity and Diversity in the Family Medicine Workforce to be featured in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine (JABFM). The first policy brief is scheduled to be published in the November-December 2021 issue, with a series introduction to appear in the January-February 2022 issue. In the recent push to address systemic racism and sexism in medicine, and contributing to the family medicine journal’s combined editorial commitment to provide high quality equity research and to uplift diverse voices to address these issues (see JABFM CFP), ABFM has embarked on this timely and much needed publication series.

Policy briefs published as part of the Equity and Diversity series will present data about the family medicine workforce using an equity lens to inform opportunities for action and future research. In further commitment to uplift diverse perspectives, the team is actively seeking engagement from family physicians and friends of family medicine of diverse racial, ethnic, linguistic, and gender identities to lend their ideas and voices to commentaries that accompany each policy brief. Commentaries are approximately 1500 words long and reflect on the data reported in the policy brief, while framing larger issues of primary care delivery, education, and policy. If you are interested in contributing as a commentator or would like more information on the Examining Equity and Diversity in the Family Medicine Workforce Policy Brief Series, please complete the volunteer inquiry form. We look forward to hearing from Diplomates about this series, and about topics of equity, diversity, and inclusion in family medicine in general.