Advancing Health Equity
ACP has long articulated an intentional commitment to compassion, inclusion, equity and justice as core values, consistently reflected in our organizational mission and goals. ACP welcomes, considers, and respects diverse perspectives throughout the College and the internal medicine profession, as it engages and promotes solutions to advance health equity for all patients and populations. ACP advocates through policy and practice, to consistently advance equity throughout health care, where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health.
ACP has enhanced its systems and practices to further align the culture as an anti-racist, diverse, equitable and inclusive organization dedicated to policy, advocacy and action working to eliminate disparities, discrimination, bias and inequities in health and health care. As part of a focused review and alignment, ACP enhanced:
- Staff practices and culture to encourage inclusivity and welcome diverse perspectives in all aspects of work.
- Member engagement strategies to broaden outreach and understanding of the variety of individual and group identities of internal medicine physicians, and to expand perspectives contributing to all ACP activities, decision-making and representations.
- Governance capacity by creating structures and processes that welcome and allow ACP to appreciate varied domestic and global internal medicine perspectives.
- Efforts to improve data system capabilities, to help remove potential barriers to appointments and awards.
- Organizational culture by establishing an anti-harassment policy and reporting process, including defining professional behavior at ACP meetings and events.
- Programmatic offerings building on collaborations, member interests, and environmental opportunities to expand ACPs potential impact to advance health equity.
Spotlight
- Internal Medicine Physicians Strongly Oppose Efforts to Ban Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Programs in Medical Education
- ACP Recommends Ways to Better Meet the Health Care and Social Needs of Unhoused Populations
- Leading Health Organizations Commit Another $400,000 to Health Equity
- ACP Says Barriers to Participating in the Electoral Process Must be Removed
- ACP Provides Input to Address Disparities in Rural and Underserved Communities
- Medical Schools Receive Nearly Half a Million Dollars to Build Trust in Diverse Communities
Current Programs & Efforts to Advance Health Equity
ACP is continuing to build on its long history of advocating for patient rights, and elimination of disparities, by advancing gender, racial, ethnic, and cultural equity through our public policy development, medical education, health and science promotion, and career development.
Advancing health equity is not a single initiative, program, or activity, but instead an intentional forward-thinking mindset, or culture, to design solutions working toward better health care and wellbeing for all. Examples of current ACP efforts include:
ACP partners with leading internal medicine organizations to award grants designed to improve the quality of education and training to build a more trustworthy and equitable health system. The funding supports design and/or delivery of programs that incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion into internal medicine education and training.
This internship program is designed for students with a designated interest in health equity, based on their areas of interest medicine, public policy, health administration, population health, or other majors. The program provides undergraduate students with firsthand exposure to many health care career opportunities, while discussing how the various careers address health equity obstacles.
ACP seeks to advance a stigma-free culture in which patients, clinicians, and policymakers collaborate to prevent and address obesity as a chronic condition, recognizing embedded health inequities that contribute to obesity and pose as barriers to its treatment.
Career Development Resources for Internal Medicine Graduates
Comprehensive resources covering career planning, strengthening your CV, navigating Visa and immigration policies, as well as tips for making wise financial decisions, and advice on the residency application and Match processes. ACP membership required to view.
ACP is part of the ACGME Equity Matters program, supporting the graduate medical education (GME) community in developing innovative resources that increase workforce diversity, encourage adoption of equity practices, and foster inclusive learning environments.
Advocacy & Public Policy
ACP is committed to combatting disparities that impact health and health care. ACP advocates to eliminate harm caused by discrimination, prejudice, and marginalization, including those who are subject to racism, for the health and well-being of all patients. ACP’s advocacy work addresses a wide range of issues; at the core, it is a commitment to advance public policy for the improved health of patients, wellness of communities, and strengthening of the profession, including all the diversity therein.
Additional Education and Information Resources
From the American College of Physicians:
- Promoting Health Equity Through Excellence in Diagnostic Decision Making CME/MOC Available
- The DEI Shift Podcast CME/MOC Available
- Online Learning Center CME/MOC Available
- ACP Connect App
From other organizations:
- National Roadmap for Disability-Inclusive Healthcare from the Institute for Exceptional Care (IEC)