Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Are Essential in Medical Physics

A series of highly publicized and racially charged deaths, against the backdrop of a novel viral pandemic unprecedented in modern times, prompted a social reckoning in the United States that put a spotlight on the true costs of racial and social inequity in this country. Since the summer of 2020, several fields in the United States have begun to review their practices regarding equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Medical physics is no exception, and the field has greatly expanded the number of EDI efforts underway. The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) has resolutely committed to systematically review the organization, its policies, and procedures to ensure full support of all identity groups within the organization, including those who have been historically marginalized. In June 2020, AAPM updated its strategic goals to include EDI and adopted a formal “Diversity Statement” to reinforce the organization's commitment to EDI and to define a common lexicon associated with EDI. 1 American Association of Physicists in Medicine. Strategic plan. Available at: https://w3.aapm.org/org/objectives.php. Accessed September 12, 2022. Google Scholar This article will articulate just some of the multitude of reasons why EDI is both critical and essential to the field of medical physics.