Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in Organ Transplantation: An ESOT Survey About EDI Within ESOT as an Organization and its Educational Activities, and Transplantation Research and Science

Abstract

The European Society of Organ Transplantation (ESOT) strives to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) across all its activities. We surveyed the transplant community’s experiences and perspectives regarding EDI within ESOT as an organization and its educational activities, and research in general. A total of 299 respondents completed the questionnaire. About half agreed that ESOT’s Executive Committee, Council, and Sections/Committees are diverse and inclusive (51%) and that ESOT promotes EDI in its live and digital educational activities (54%). Forty percent of respondents agreed that scientific and clinical trials in the field of transplantation are diverse and inclusive. Despite the wide distribution of the survey, most of the respondents self-identified as White and were either physician or surgeon. However, the results contribute a unique insight into the experiences and perspectives of the transplantation community regarding EDI. Whilst ESOT is committed to the principles of EDI, perceptions and the high number of proposals show the apparent need to prioritize efforts to embed EDI across ESOT and transplantation science. These data should constitute a starting point for change and provide guidance for future efforts to promote EDI within the transplantation community.

Achieving Gender Equity amongst the Liver Transplantation Medical and Surgical Workforce: Why Ongoing Actions Will Be Required

“…These types of measures need to be implemented across the wider healthcare organizations as the relevant issues are generic and also apply to the rest of the female medical and surgical workforce. Plus, it is increasingly being recognised that isolated stand-alone sponsorship and/or mentorship initiatives on their own may not result in more females either being employed in the relevant subspecialties and/or attaining higher leadership positions [1,23,26].…”

“…The ILTS has already been mentioned, however more recently the European Society for Organ Transplantation (ESOT) formally surveyed its membership on their views on diversity and equity. There was significant support for the society moving towards prioritizing a number of ongoing efforts to embed equity and diversity initiatives into all of its professional activities [1]. This involves undertaking a number of deliberate actions to ensure that there is gender equity and diversity is being achieved across the range of leadership positions within ESOT.…”

“…Particularly over the last decade there have been an ever-increasing number of published manuscripts appearing in scientific journals where gender equity is the predominant focus for certain aspects of solid organ transplantation. This focus can either be on the gender composition of the relevant medical and surgical workforce [1], or on the gender ratios of the patients who are being assessed as potential candidates and/or are then undergoing solid organ transplantation. These may initially appear to be two completely unrelated topics although it is becoming increasingly apparent that the former may influence the latter [2].…”