How We Can Make Gender Diversity in Radiology a Reality

Last month, a now-former Google engineer, James Damore, published a scathing memo about how Google should minimize its diversity efforts. He was quickly fired, and in response, more than 60 female employees filed a lawsuit against Google for gender discrimination. Through the throngs of social media, diversity in the tech industry has become a controversial topic. However, the imbalanced gender ratio in other industries, like medicine, also remains an unresolved problem. According to Lucy Spalluto, MD, despite the efforts by the American Association for Women in Radiology, the American College of Radiology, and the Association for University of Radiology to remedy the gender disparity in radiology, more deliberate action needs to be taken in order for facilities to hire and invest in more female radiologists. Here’s what she recommends:

Make diversity a pillar of the radiology department. Workforce diversity can improve both the administrative and social aspects of the department. Physician-patient rapport will grow stronger and employee satisfaction will increase.

Establish a fair hiring and promotions process. The executive staff should be transparent about their hiring benchmarks and promotional review system. Both hiring and promotion committees should be comprised of a diverse set of staff. Spalluto also recommends blind resume reviews.

Prioritize employee training. Lead radiologists should implement non-bias and inclusivity training as a part of employee education. “Goals for diversity and leadership should be set and leadership should be held accountable for reaching these goals,” she writes for Radiology Business.