Subscribe
EDI has always been at the heart of AWIR’s mission
AWIR was founded on the principle of advancing the leadership opportunities and education available to women in rheumatology. While this demonstrates our longstanding commitment to serving an underrepresented segment of practitioners, our efforts go much further—embracing and promoting EDI in clinical practices, organizational policies, patient care, clinical research, state and federal policies, and more.
AWIR promotes an equitable, diverse and inclusive rheumatology workforce—around the world
AWIR leaders travel the globe educating institutions, rheumatologists and health policy decision-makers about the inequities present in academia, clinical medicine, research and medical education.
Our goal is to promote awareness of the barriers that women, minorities and other groups experience during training and in the workplace.
Our experts propose practical solutions to enhance diversity in the make-up of the rheumatology student and professional community, foster workplace environments that are friendly and equitable for all, and proactively include members from all backgrounds as equally valuable voices during decision making in the field.
We believe this is important because:
- Male physicians still earn more than female physicians per hour, and the income disparity is widened for women who have children1
- Black physicians earn almost $50,000 less per year on average than their White counterparts1
- The rheumatology workforce is becoming less racially and ethnically diverse, rather than more2
- Women make up the majority of rheumatology practitioners but lag behind in academic leadership roles, research funding, and publications3
1. Charles S. Physician Compensation 2023: The good, the bad, and the ugly. MDLinx. 09 Nov 2023. Accessed May 2024.
2. Vassileva MT et al. Improving health equity in rheumatology through workforce diversification and support for health equity research and education. Arthritis & Rheumatology. 2024. ePub ahead of print. doi: 10.1002/art.42804.
3. Mahmood SN, Blanco I. The road to equity for women in academic rheumatology. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2020; 16(12):669-670.
AWIR Supports Evidence-Based, Culturally Conscious, Accessible Care For Patients Everywhere
Equity, diversity & inclusion go beyond fair paychecks and transparent promotion criteria. They matter for holistic, individualized, culturally conscious care for patients.
AWIR Pioneers Research Exploring EDI Elements In Rheumatology Practice And Patient Care
AWIR aims to promote the science and practice of rheumatology, in part through supporting rheumatology research. All of our research endeavors consider EDI and actively strive to include diverse populations, including those traditionally excluded in clinical research.
AWIR Educates Health Professionals And Advanced Practitioners On EDI Principles
When people do not recognize the impact of biased or inequitable care through firsthand experiences, data and discussion become essential.
AWIR Gets EDI Issues In Front Of Policymakers
AWIR leaders and members do more than just talk about EDI. We advocate for policies that reflect our beliefs, both locally and nationally.
Join A Community Founded On The Belief That Equity, Diversity And Inclusion Are Key To The Success Of Our Field And Our Patients
AWIR is a medical organization leading the way toward EDI principles in the practice of medicine, for both professionals and patients.
Join like-minded individuals in advancing our cause and making medicine a more welcoming and equitable field for us all.