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Gender Equity Sub-Committee
The Gender Equity Sub-Committee (GESC) launched in 2019, and 2022 marks the end of its inaugural action plan. We would like to take the opportunity to reflect on the group’s achievements and thank them for working to make our college and workplaces more equitable, inclusive, and safe places for all genders to pursue careers in anaesthesia and pain medicine.
KEY OUTCOMES
• Released the unconscious bias on interview panels toolkit. • Collation of gender metrics across ANZCA and FPM to identify gaps in gender representation among fellows, trainees, specialist international medical graduates, supervisors of training and all college committees. • Released a gender equity self-assessment quiz. • Introduced the “ANZCA Panel Pledge” to encourage gender equity representation among speakers at events. • Annual hosting of STEMM breakfast at the ANZCA Annual Scientific Meeting to promote women in leadership. • Gender neutral and inclusive language used throughout college communications and at events.
• Updated college style guide and events procedures to promote diversity of fellows in photographs. • Established a speaker bureau to promote equitable gender mix at events. • Updated the professional documents regulation and style guide with contemporary, gender-neutral language. • Established the gender equity and unconscious bias library guide. • Hosted a “Women and Medicine” symposium at the Geoffrey Kaye Museum of
Anaesthetic History in 2019, featuring the historical challenges women faced entering the field of medicine. • Led “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world” social media campaign in 2021. • Presented “Leadership in 2022: Challenge Accepted!” webinar attended by more than 100 fellows.
• Launched International Women’s Day campaign including five short videos to celebrate women anaesthetists, reflect on gender challenges in the medical community, and explore the theme of bias in 2022. • Released third iteration of a seminal gender research survey examining the impact of gender on the professional lives of Australian and New Zealand based fellows.
Stay tuned for the next action plan which will be released in early 2023, with a strong focus on providing gender equity support to targeted college stakeholder groups while broadening our inclusion and diversity footprint. Dr Bridget Effeney Gender Equity Sub-Committee Chair (outgoing) Dr Claire Stewart Gender Equity Sub-Committee Chair (incoming) Ms Jan Sharrock Executive Director Fellowship Affairs MESSAGE FROM INCOMING GESC CHAIR
It is with great enthusiasm that I take on the role of Gender Equity Sub-Committee (GESC) Chair. Dr Bridget Effeney developed the gender equity group from inception to an established ANZCA sub-committee. She has ensured the GESC is driving change within the college on behalf of all fellows.
The Unconscious Bias Toolkit is a brilliant initiative, disseminated to Part 2 examiners and interview committees Australia-wide. The college is progressive in its panel pledge and careful documentation of college metrics to ensure we know whether equity is being achieved at college events.
The gender equity survey is a timely research project that examines a broader scope of equity issues affecting all fellows. I look forward to Bridget’s ongoing leadership and mentorship as we expand inclusion and diversity in the organisation. Many thanks on behalf of the committee to Bridget for all her time and effort.
Dr Claire Stewart
Listen to the Blue Book on the go!
We’ve recorded 10 chapters of the 2021 edition of Australasian Anaesthesia (commonly referred to as the Blue Book) so you can listen on the go.
You can stream these on our ANZCA SoundCloud page and listen via Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.
Listening to these audio recordings can be claimed under the ANZCA and FPM CPD Program’s knowledge and skills “learning sessions” activity.
Thank you to Dr Peter Cook FANZCA from The Tweed Hospital for voicing the audio recordings.
Steuart Henderson Award
Nominations are being received for the 2023 ANZCA Steuart Henderson Award: awarded to a fellow who has demonstrated excellence and provided outstanding contribution, scholarship and mentorship to medical education in the field of anaesthesia and/or pain medicine. All fellows of ANZCA and FPM are eligible for the award. For nomination information including eligibility criteria visit the ANZCA website. Nominations close 15 February 2023.
