V37 N3 / 2022 

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

AMWAJournal.org     32

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is a phrase that refers 

to organizational principles and policies that promote 

inclusion and representation of diverse people, including 

individuals of different ages, genders, races and ethnicities, 

religions, cultures, sexual orientations, and abilities. The 

AMWA leadership is committed to maintaining a welcom-

ing environment in which all members are treated fairly, 

have access to programs and resources, and are empowered 

to contribute toward advancing the association’s mission. 

 To further that commitment, the AMWA Board of 

Directors (BOD) began an important initiative in 2021 to 

discover, understand, and set a direction for enhancing DEI 

efforts within the organization. The first outcome of that 

initiative was AMWA’s new organizational DEI statement 

adopted by the BOD in July 2022. The AMWA Statement on 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion reads as follows:

AMWA is committed to creating and maintaining a  

culture that embraces a diverse community of individ-

uals who value excellence in medical writing, editing, 

and communication. We believe that AMWA functions 

more effectively with diversity of thought and inclusion 

of varied perspectives in the shared pursuit of our  

mission. We strive to 

• Demonstrate the values of diversity, equity, and 

inclusion.

• Encourage the interest, participation, and leadership 

of underrepresented groups within our organization.

• Cultivate an inclusive, diverse, and accessible  

community of medical communicators.

 A second outcome of AMWA’s DEI initiative was 

the creation and engagement of a Diversity & Inclusion 

Assessment Task Force that developed the 2022 AMWA DEI 

Survey. The survey launched in August, and results will help 

AMWA gain a clearer understanding of the existing diversity 

of our membership, learn about current challenges or short-

comings, and recognize what AMWA is doing well so that 

we can continue to build upon that foundation. 

 By leveraging the welcoming culture of AMWA, we hope 

to create an even more inclusive, diverse, and collabora-

tive environment for all. It is important that we demonstrate 

our commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion to our 

members and staff as well as the medical communication 

community at large. As medical communicators, our mem-

bers play a crucial part in ensuring that information about 

health, medicine, and science is communicated accurately 

and clearly to help a variety of audiences make important 

health-related decisions. 

 AMWA previously issued a statement in June 2020 

(https://www.amwa.org/news/511877/A-Message-from-

the-AMWA-President-and-Executive-Director.htm) on the 

effects of systemic racism and inherent bias that have led 

to health disparities that adversely and disproportionately 

affect minority groups. The statement acknowledged that 

health and well-being for all cannot exist alongside endemic 

racial health inequities. The message also emphasized that 

diversity is a strength that enriches the AMWA membership. 

 These are just the first steps that AMWA will take as it 

continues to address DEI needs. We are proud of our warm 

and welcoming community and the diversity among our 

regional and national leaders; however, there is always 

room for improvement. As we move forward, we plan to 

ensure that our programs, policies, and practices are fair 

and equitable for all among our diverse membership. We 

look forward to implementing enhancements throughout 

the organization that will align our commitment to DEI with 

our overall mission as we aspire to maintain a welcoming 

environment that celebrates differences and where people 

of different backgrounds feel comfortable sharing diverse, 

mission-advancing perspectives. 

Susan Krug, MS, CAE / AMWA Executive Director

The American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) Announces  
New Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement 

AMWA NEWS

http://www.amwajournal.org
https://www.amwa.org/news/511877/A-Message-from-the-AMWA-President-and-Executive-Director.htm
https://www.amwa.org/news/511877/A-Message-from-the-AMWA-President-and-Executive-Director.htm