Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Executive Vice Chair and Professor Shawn Gilbert, M.D., launched a diversity, equity and inclusion-themed book club that is open to any faculty, staff or trainees in the department.

The book club met through Zoom to discuss their first read, White Fragility, which focused on raising issues of systemic racism and learning to have difficult conversations. In January, the group discussed their second novel Seeing Patients: A surgeon’s story of race and medical bias, authored by Augustus White, which told Dr. White’s story of one person breaking through barriers as an underrepresented minority, and his efforts to bring attention and problem solving to disparities in health care delivery.

Along with a general discussion of the text at the book club meeting, Gilbert constructs questions meant to challenge and motivate fellow department members.

“I think that it is up to each of us to create an environment that is inclusive of diversity and champions equity, where all feel welcome” said Gilbert. “That begins with asking ourselves hard questions, getting to the root of an inequity, and listening to each person’s narrative.”

Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Steven Theiss, M.D., is proud of the new book club initiative.

“Many thanks to Dr. Gilbert for launching this book club and creating a safe space discuss diversity, equity and inclusion issues,” said Theiss. “The book club is a refreshing opportunity to recognize our role in eradicating racial health disparities and inequities in health care.”

If you would like to participate in next quarter’s book club session, please reach out to Dr. Shawn Gilbert at srgilbert@uabmc.edu.