Native American Representation and Diversity Initiatives Within Orthopaedic Surgery: An Update and Road Map to Success.

Abstract

Orthopaedic surgery lags behind other specialties in terms of diversity. This lack of representation is especially evident within the Native American population. Native American/Alaskan Natives represent approximately 2.9% of the overall US population but comprise just 0.4% of orthopaedic surgeons within the United States. Currently, no Native American-specific orthopaedic inclusion or recruitment programs exist. There are a multitude of programs that exist to recruit Native American applicants into health care. These include pipeline programs and scholarships from the Indian Health Service (IHS), mentorship programs from a multitude of Native American medical societies, and IHS recruitment programs targeted at Native American preferential hiring. Dozens of grants and national diversification programs that are not specific to Native Americans are also available. Programs such as the AAOS IDEA Grant, Nth Dimensions, and The Perry Initiative have been successful in diversifying the orthopaedic surgery pipeline. This review highlights the paucity of Native American representation within orthopaedics and identifies current programs and resources for Native Americans. This article serves as a guide for Native Americans pursuing a career in orthopaedic surgery, as well as inspiration for future programs directed at increasing Native American representation.