Honoring Excellence: Q and A with Yvette Calderon, MD, MS and Melissa Barton, MD of the American Board of Emergency Medicine
This interview is one in a series of interviews with recipients of the 2024 ACGME Awards. The awardees join an outstanding group of previous honorees whose work and contributions to graduate medical education (GME) represent the best in the field. They will be honored at the ACGME Annual Educational Conference, taking place March 7-9, 2024, in Orlando, Florida.
The American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) is recognized with the 2024 Barbara Ross-Lee, DO Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award. Dr. Yvette Calderon is the Director of the ABEM and Chair of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, and Dr. Melissa Barton is the ABEM’s Director of Medical Affairs. They answered the ACGME’s questions about their recognized initiative and the board’s efforts to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion.
ACGME: Can you tell us a little bit about your organization?
Drs. Calderon/Barton: The ABEM’s mission is “To ensure the highest standards in the specialty of Emergency Medicine.” The ABEM certifies emergency physicians who meet its educational, professional standing, and examination standards and holds the interests of patients and their families in the highest standing, particularly with regard to the provision of the safest and highest-quality emergency care. The 17-member ABEM Board of Directors consists of experienced, clinically active, board certified emergency physicians, and a public member, who volunteer substantial time and effort to support and lead ABEM certification processes.
ACGME: Why is your institution so dedicated to the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion?
Calderon/Barton: ABEM is committed to increasing diversity across a continuum of student learners, faculty members, ABEM staff members, and Board members. Actively embracing these values strengthens ABEM, improves the certification experience for physicians, and leads to better patient care through maintaining high standards.
ACGME: What work/initiative are you specifically being recognized for?
Calderon/Barton: The ABEM created the Dr. Leon L. Haley, Jr., Bridge to the Future of Emergency Medicine Academy to honor the legacy of Dr. Haley, who was an inspiring member of the ABEM family and medical community. This program is specifically designed to provide underrepresented in medicine (UIM) rising second-year medical students the opportunity to participate in an in-person, all-expenses-paid, two-week mentorship program at the ABEM headquarters in East Lansing, Michigan in June of each year.
ACGME: Could you explain what that initiative looks like?
Calderon/Barton: Selected students join didactic lectures on topics such as reducing health care inequities, increasing diversity in physicians, and applying to residency programs. The students connect with thought leaders in UIM and are expected to complete a short portfolio project at the end of the experience. In addition, students travel to two nearby emergency medicine residency programs (Central Michigan University and Henry Ford Health System) for hands-on simulation and educational experiences.
ACGME: How has this work/initiative helped make your institution more diverse and/or inclusive?
Calderon/Barton: The ABEM created the Haley Academy to engage with students during medical school to increase the likelihood of them choosing a career in emergency medicine. ABEM seeks to increase the diversity of emergency physicians so that the specialty can better reflect the patient populations they serve and help to reduce health inequities through concordant care.
The Haley Academy increases opportunities for UIM medical students and provides mentorship. Haley Academy students are asked throughout their experience how they see themselves contributing to improving the diversity of future physician populations and how they plan to work to reduce health inequalities. The Haley Academy is designed to foster future thought leaders using a foundation of peer support and UIM mentorship. The social network is expected to grow each year, building on the relationships that have already been formed.
ACGME: How could others use your work/initiative as a model to become more diverse and inclusive? What advice do you give to GME leaders who are looking to do just that, but aren’t sure how to start?
Calderon/Barton: Dr. Haley devoted his career to providing equitable medical care to his patients and the communities he served. This program represents a critical step in fostering the diversity of our field and ensuring the growth and development of future emergency medicine physicians. ABEM is enthusiastic about the potential this program holds to inspire and guide medical students toward the field of emergency medicine. It can be used as a template for other medical specialties to follow.
Some advice would be to start by listening. Co-create diversity and inclusion initiatives with UIM stakeholders. Identify gaps, and learn what your community needs and how you can best support the community and amplify UIM voices within GME leadership. The key is to start somewhere and put actions behind words. Set DEI as a priority.
ACGME: Is there anything you would like to say that I haven’t already asked?
Calderon/Barton: Learn more about the Haley Academy (including application for next year’s class): https://www.abem.org/public/about-abem/dr.-leon-l.-haley-jr.-bridge-to-the-future-of-emergency-medicine-academy
Learn more about the ACGME’s Barbara Ross-Lee, DO Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award and nominate a deserving Sponsoring Institution, program, or organization for the 2025 award – nominations are due by March 27, 2024. Registration is still open for the 2024 ACGME Annual Educational Conference – learn more and register today on the conference website.