Dear Colleagues,
You may recall that I recently referenced the George Floyd murder and our commitment to diversity. As I have thought about this, and the subsequent events of the week, I recognize both my own reflections and my statements are inadequate.
As a white male, I clearly take many things for granted. Even though I have experienced anti-Semitism numerous times throughout my life, I have never experienced anything like what our African American colleagues and neighbors endure. And to make matters worse now, long-standing inequities in access to health care have contributed to the way in which COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted our African American community.
I am heartened that as I reflect on my life, I believe my attitudes and behavior have been consistently inclusive thanks to the culture I was raised in. I have worked to live this value of inclusivity in everything I do, in interacting with friends and colleagues, and as a leader ensuring fairness and diversity in an organization.
I realize now that this probably has not been enough. I need to learn more about the social pain of others; I need to do more. It’s not just about equality, it’s about equal justice. I pledge to all of you, while ECFMG|FAIMER continues to be a diverse organization, pursuing our mission worldwide, we will do more. We will speak out.
I look forward to hearing from you how we can serve our diverse workforce better and in fact serve our communities across the world better.
Please be involved, be safe, and be healthy.
Best,
Bill Pinsky
William W. Pinsky, MD, FAAP, FACC
President and CEO, Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)
Chair, Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER)
Professor (Hon.), University of Queensland
