March 2023 DIHE Column Recap

“This Is Our Lane” is a monthly column in SGO Issues that was established in 2020. Supported by the SGO Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity (DIHE) Committee and sponsored by an unrestricted grant from GSK, its primary aim is to provide a platform for SGO members to share their experiences and perspectives on DIHE issues facing the field of gynecologic oncology. Each article, ranging from 500 to 700 words, is authored by diverse voices within the SGO community. Past authors have included practicing attendings, trainees, and allied health professionals. In 2022, we were thrilled to start featuring patient voices as well.

This column has played a crucial role in sustaining the momentum of the antidiscrimination and health equity movements and dialogues in SGO. “This is Our Lane” helps to operationalize the mission of SGO and many of the SGO core values including: advocacy, diversity & inclusion, engagement and patient care. The column also specifically supports the 2021-2023 SGO Strategic Pillars to “foster greater diversity, equity, inclusion, and accountability within the society and the larger healthcare community to improve health outcomes for all patients.” It has served as a means of amplifying underrepresented voices within our specialty, including those of Black, Brown, Latin, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and LGBTQI individuals.

Over the past year, as the column’s new editors, we have continued the work of our predecessors Nita Lee, MD, and Ana Tergas, MD, MPH, inaugural editors, in inviting contributors, curating topics, and collaborating with authors to ensure that their messages resonate with our membership. We have been humbled by the deep issues we have explored together and indebted to the many authors who have shared their personal stories and insights. The past year featured a mix of patient-facing topics ranging from promoting health equity and clinical trial representation for Black Americans, American Indians, AAPI individuals and immigrants with limited English proficiency, to powerful reflections on the state of diversity within our own profession and efforts to increase workforce representation. In addition, we heard from patients about their journeys navigating endometrial cancer as Black individuals and ovarian cancer care as a transgender individual, and beating the associated stigma of HPV cancers.

We are thankful that so many SGO members have taken the time to read our colleagues’ opinions each month. We hope that this column will inspire you to continue engaging in constructive dialogue with your colleagues, trainees and patients. To access previous articles in the “This is Our Lane” series, visit the SGO DIHE blog. If you would like to contribute to this column or recommend a contributor, please complete our submission request – we look forward to hearing your unique perspective!

Sincerely,

Subcommittee Chairs/Editors of the Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity Column

Soledad Jorge, MD, MPH
University of Washington Medical Center

Christina Washington, MD
University of Oklahoma

Elise Kohn, MD, CTEP/DCTDC
National Cancer Institute