The term diversity has many definitions that have continued to evolve and expand over time. At its core, diversity is “a concept that encompasses acceptance and respect. It means the understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing individual differences.”
1 Nowhere is diversity more apparent today than in our changing healthcare system. Given improved access to healthcare provided through healthcare reform and the rapidly changing demographics of the U.S. population, it is expected that the U.S. healthcare system will continue
to become more diverse in the future. However, the U.S. healthcare workforce does not mirror the population that it serves, a disparity that is most glaring in medical specialties including gastroenterology. It is well understood that promoting diversity among the healthcare workforce is essential to improving the quality of care for all patients.