The Health Equity and Diversity Committee (HEDC) ATS Underrepresented in Medicine (URM) Mentorship program is a component of the society-wide ATS Mentoring Program—facilitated throughout all 14 ATS Assemblies—that is designed to connect early to mid-career professionals with senior members. The intent of all ATS mentorship programs is to create a supportive community for career development and networking. The URM Mentorship program is, separate and apart from the general ATS mentorship program. It is sponsored and overseen by the ATS HEDC and is aimed at ATS members who are senior fellows, post-doctoral fellows, or junior faculty, and who identify as a member of a group that is underrepresented in medicine (URM).
ATS URM mentorship is a 2-year long program that begins in May each year at the annual ATS International Conference (IC). A new cohort is onboarded every year. In advance of the ATS IC, mentees are assigned to a mentor, typically a senior ATS member. Mentors are assigned based on mentor/mentee interests (e.g., clinical practice, medical education, research, scholarship, or work-life balance). There is a kick-off meeting/reception at the annual ATS International Conference where mentees attending the conference will get a chance to meet their mentors as well as other members of the HEDC. Over the course of the year, the HEDC organizes webinars, online trainings, and other online sessions that touch on issues unique or specific to the URM mentees. The HEDC also periodically provides virtual “office hours” where the mentees can touch base with their mentors and other mentees.
Please contact the ATS at hedc@thoracic.org if you need more information. The ATS point of contact is Kimberly Lawrence, staff liaison to the Health Equity and Diversity Committee, who may be reached at klawrence@thoracic.org.
View the URM Mentoring brochure here.
