Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Program

As part of the Department of Surgery’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Program, we aim to foster an inclusive community that represents a diversity of perspectives and identities, and creates equitable access to achieve success and advancements in academic surgery.  

The DE&I Program comprises a variety of workgroups: 

• LGBTQIA+ 
• Women & Gender 
• Surgeons with Chronic Conditions 
• Underrepresented in Medicine 

The Mass General Department of Surgery is a proud member of the: 

• Association of Out Surgeons & Allies   
• Latino Surgical Society  
• Society of Black Academic Surgeons 
• Association of Women Surgeons 

Our Publications 

View a list of publications by our faculty and residents related to health care disparities

• Kim Y, Kassam A, McElroy I, Lee S, Tanious A, Chou E, Patel S, Pendleton A, Dua A. The Current Status of the Diversity Pipeline in Surgical Training . Am J Surgery. 2022. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2021.11.006  
• Chen Y, Chang D, Armstrong K, Kelleher C. "Women as Deficit": Re-evaluating Interventions to Establish Gender Equity . Ann Surg. 2022. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000005170 
• Chang D, Oseni T, Strong B, Molina G, Ortega G, Chen H, Rogers S. The Other Global Pandemic: Scientific Racism and the Normality Bias . Ann Surg. 2021. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000005168 
• Saggi S, Carmen G, Chen Y, Udelsman B, Goldstone R, Chang D. The Paradoxical Protective Effect of Immigration on Colorectal Cancer Survivals . J Surg Res. 2021. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2021.06.005 
• Hidalgo, D; McElory, I. Racial Trauma Perpetuated by Academic Medicine to Those in its Ranks . An Am Thorac Surg. 2021. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.202105-592IP 
• Chen Y, Fong Z, Qadan M, Kunitake H, Mullen J, Chang D. Should All Patients Receive the Same Prophylaxis? Racial Variation in the Risk of Venous Thromboembolism After Major Abdominal Operations . Am J Surg. 2021. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2021.05.020 
• Stapleton S, Perez N, Chang D. Residential Segregation and Health Care Segregation: Separate But Not Equal . Ann Surg. 2021. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000004864 
• Chen Y, Westfal M, Chang D, Kelleher C. Contribution of Unequal New Patient Referrals to Female Surgeon Under-Employment . Am J Surg. 2021. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2021.02.028 
• McElroy I. Let's Get Uncomfortable . Ann Surg. 2021. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000004603 
• Perez N, Baez Y, Stapleton S, Muniappan A, Oseni T, Goldstone R, Chang C. Racially Conscious Cancer Screening Guidelines: A Path Towards Culturally Competent Science . Ann Surg. 2022. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000003983 
• Chen Y, Westfal M, Chang D, Kelleher C. Underemployment of Female Surgeons? Ann Surg. 2021. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000004497 
• Perez N, Stapleton S, Tabrizi M, Watkins M, Lillemoe K, Kelleher C, Chang D. The Impact of Race on Choice of Location for Elective Surgical Care in New York City . Am J Surg. 2020. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2020.01.033 
• Perez N, Westfal M, Stapleton S, Stanford F, Griggs C, Pratt J, Chang C, Kelleher C. Beyond Insurance: Race-Based Disparities in the Use of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery for the Management of Severe Pediatric Obesity . Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2020. doi: 10.1016/j.soard.2019.11.020 
• Stapleton S, Oseni T, Bababekov Y, Hung Y, Chang D. Race/Ethnicity and Age Distribution of Breast Cancer Diagnosis in the United States . JAMA Surg. 2018. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2018.0035  
• Saavedra D, Loehrer A, Chang D. Association of Nativity Status With Quality of Breast Cancer Care for Hispanic Women and Non-Hispanic White Women in the United States . JAMA Surg. 2017. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2016.5536 
• López D, Loehrer A, Chang D. Impact of Income Inequality on the Nation's Health . J Am Coll Surg. 2016. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2016.07.005 
• Loehrer A, Chang D, Hutter M, Warshaw A. Surgical Quality and Equity: Revisiting the Class of 1895 . Ann Surg. 2016. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000001733 

Our Workgroups 

LGBTQIA+ 

The mission of the LGBTQIA+ group is to promote acceptance and provide a safe, inclusive, and open environment for faculty, residents, and staff throughout the Mass General community, our partner institutions, and beyond. 

We collaborate with the Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) Health Equity Initiative at Harvard Medical School as part of our efforts to expand representation of LGBTQIA+ surgeons. Through SGM, LGBTQIA+ surgeons can sign up for the HMS OutList, a resource for students to connect with LGBTQIA+ faculty for mentorship as they navigate medical school and their future medical careers. 

Workgroup Lead 

Jonathan Friedstat, MD 

Women & Gender 

The mission of the Women & Gender group is to promote gender equity and inclusivity in surgical education, research, and clinical practice. We strive to create an environment that supports the professional development and advancement of women and underrepresented gender identities in surgery, while also recognizing the intersectionality of our identities and advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of surgical care. Through education, mentorship, and community-building initiatives, we aim to cultivate a culture of respect, collaboration, and excellence in surgical practice that values the contributions of all individuals, regardless of their gender identity or expression. 

Workgroup Lead Cornelia Griggs, MD 

Surgeons with Chronic Conditions 

The mission of the Surgeons with Chronic Conditions group is to support our faculty and staff that are managing chronic conditions by removing obstacles, providing customary accommodations, and helping remove barriers and stigma associated with chronic conditions.  

Workgroup Lead 

Hugh Auchincloss, MD 

Underrepresented in Medicine (URiM) 

The mission of the Underrepresented in Medicine group is to support our URiM community and increase diversity of our department by promoting a culture of inclusion and equity and fostering engagement with our surrounding community. This group is dedicated to creating an equitable and inclusive environment for all. We champion the recruitment and retention of a diverse group of medical professionals and students, while advocating for the advancement and success of historically underrepresented individuals in medicine. We strive to educate, influence, and inspire the Mass General community to create a more inclusive culture.  

Workgroup Lead 

Vinod Narra, MD 

Notable Achievements, Events, and Initiatives 

The Mass General Department of Surgery DE&I Program started many new and exciting initiatives centered around diversity and inclusion, including: 

• DEI efforts for the Surgical Residency Program 
• A Grand Rounds entitled, “Trans-forming Surgical Care” presented by Dr. Michaela West  
• A new speaker series called, “The Fabric of MGH Surgery: Celebrating Our Stories,” to highlight the voices of those who make our department special and diverse 
• Newly established mentorship opportunities to bridge gender gaps and reduce disparities  
• Attendance at women’s leadership conferences, bringing valuable lessons and evidence back to the broader department  
• Multiple social events targeted at maximally inclusive family-friendly locations, hours, and accessibility  
• Aggregation of a research team dedicated to disseminating the most up-to-date literature and evidence on women and gender in surgery  
• Discussions of social determinants of health are now a standard part of our M&M conferences 

Awards and Honors

Resident DE&I Champion Award

2022 Winner

Numa Perez, MD

Mass General Brigham Pillars of Excellence Award

The Department of Surgery DE&I Program was a 2022 winner in the category of Integrating Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Meet Our Team 

Our Leadership 

Sareh Parangi, MD 
Co-Chair 

Tawakalitu Oseni, MD 
Co-Chair 

Our Workgroup Leads 

• Vinod Narra, MD 
• Hugh Auchincloss, MD 
• Cornelia Griggs, MD 
• Jonathan Friedstat, MD 

Our Committee Members 

• Katherine Albutt, MD 
• David Chang, MPH, PhD 
• Taylor Coe, MD 
• Margaret Connolly, MD 
• Shannon Cramm, MD 
• Claire De Crescenzo, MD 
• Savo Bou Zein Eddine, MD 
• Zach Feldman, MD 
• Rajshri Gartland, MD, MPH 
• Allan Goldstein, MD 
• Hannah Bougleux Gomes, MD 
• Sarah Halix, MD 
• John Hwabejire, MD, MPH 
• Armindar Jassar, MD 
• Jasmine Khubchandani, MD 
• Lydia Maurier, MD 
• Imani McElroy, MD, MPH 
• Eriberto Michel, MD 
• Paul Myoung 
• Numa Perez, MD 
• Jaime Rivera, MD 
• Jonathan Winograd, MD 
• Heidi Yeh, MD