In early 2021, the AANS leadership launched a Task Force and Working Group to begin to evaluate issues of diversity in neurosurgery. Specifically, the AANS Diversity Task Force was charged with assessing diversity, equity and inclusion, with respect to all aspects of AANS function, including governance, workplace environment, leadership development, pathways to election and membership opportunities, with the intent of maximizing inclusivity and opportunities for members within AANS across all aspects of diversity—including gender, race, religion, culture, economic background, geography, sexual orientation, and others. The goals of this initiative are to ensure that the AANS leadership is representative of the neurosurgical community at large, that speakers at AANS educational offerings and the annual meeting are representative of the neurosurgical community, that the AANS provides equal opportunity for involvement of all AANS members in its activities (committees, task forces, speaking opportunities, leadership), that the profession of neurosurgery is portrayed as an accessible and achievable career choice for those from diverse backgrounds, and that every effort is made to promote diversity among AANS staff.
In the ensuing eight months, a cohort of volunteer members have been appointed to the Task Force and Working Group and diversity training provided. Together, we have established and begun to expand a social media presence, contributed to the formulation of the AANS Membership Diversity Survey, and begun to promote the establishment of a regional mentoring system that is taking root across the US. We are working with members of Women in Neurosurgery (WINS) to help update the how-to manual entitled, “So You Want to be a Neurosurgeon”. We have produced the content for the new diversity webpage of the AANS website, entitled Faces of Neurosurgery, which has recently come online ( https://www.aans.org/Membership/Diversity)
…and we have so much more to do. In recognition of the fact that the mission of the Diversity Task Force is in a complete alignment with the mission of the AANS and that the need being filled is not likely to diminish anytime soon, the Task Force was transitioned into a standing committee of the AANS in November of 2021.
The AANS Diversity Committee
Committee Chair, Aviva Abosch, MD, PhD
Dr. Abosch is professor, Nancy A. Keegan and Donald R. Voelte, Jr. chair and the inaugural chair of the department of neurosurgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the co-director of the neurosciences services (neurology, neurosurgery, mental health, pain management). She serves as the AANS Secretary.
