V37 N3 / 2022 

©2022 American Medical Writers Association. All rights reserved.  
ISSN 2163-5315

AMWAJournal.org     3

Michael G. Baker, PhD
Editor-in-Chief

FROM THE EDITOR 

AMWA, like numerous organizations sensitive to the needs of its members, has embarked 

on an initiative to explore internal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). In this issue, we 

describe AMWA’s commitment to DEI through an initiative including the formation of a 

Diversity & Inclusion Assessment Task Force. We also examine the makeup of our mem-

bers via a summary of our most recent prior member survey in a piece titled “AMWA: Who 

We Are.” A new survey of AMWA members, the 2022 DEI Survey, has been distributed, and 

we encourage you to complete it soon if you haven’t already. Results from this survey will 

be analyzed by the Diversity & Inclusion Task Force and thus will inform upcoming DEI 

efforts. Additionally, in this issue we have DEI-related pieces on embracing accessibility 

and avoiding bias in accredited continuing education.

 In a future issue, we will return to the topic of DEI to evaluate what we have learned and 

the enhancements to the organization that have come from AMWA’s important initiative.

Yours in medical communication excellence,

Michael

In November 2021, the AMWA Board of Directors approved the creation of a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) 

Assessment Task Force. The charge of the task force is to analyze membership data and receive member input 

to help determine the current status of the organization’s D&I; identify deficiencies, needs, opportunities, and 

challenges related to D&I; and recommend initial strategies to enhance D&I efforts within the organization.

 The response to a call for volunteers in January and February of 2022 was positive, and several AMWA members 

expressed their interest in serving on the task force. Task force members were selected with consideration of 

their diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experience with D&I initiatives. The task force first met virtually 

in March, and developed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) survey that launched in August. The goal of 

the survey is for AMWA to gain an understanding of who our members are and what our members need with 

respect to DEI within the organization and in their professional lives.

Gail V. Flores, PhD / AMWA Diversity and Inclusion Assessment Task Force Chair

An Update from the AMWA Diversity and Inclusion  
Assessment Task Force

http://www.amwajournal.org