Our EDI leaders are a group of more than 50 leaders in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion across the School of Medicine. For our first “Spotlight” interview with one of these leaders, we spoke with the Department of Surgery’s Kunoor Jain-Spangler MD, who helped launch the Sustaining Equity, Elevating Diversity in Surgery (SEEDS) initiative late last year. She shares challenges and opportunities she sees for SEEDS, how experience as a woman of color informs her work, and how she likes spending her time when she’s not at Duke.
Dr. Jain-Spangler talks about launching the Section of Surgical Disciplines’ Sustaining Equity, Elevating Diversity in Surgery (SEEDS) initiative late last year. She also talks about the top challenges and opportunities she sees for the coming year, how experience as a woman of color informs her work, and enjoying cooking, reading, and outdoor time with family when she’s not at Duke.
What is your current position within the Department of Surgery? Do you have an official EDI-related title, and if so, what is it?
I am an Assistant Professor of Surgery. I am also Director of our Advanced GI/MIS and Bariatric Surgery Fellowships. Finally, I am Faculty Chair of the DEI Committee for the Section of Surgical Disciplines.
When and how did you begin working to improve equity, diversity, and inclusion within Duke? When did you first become an ODI delegate?
I began this work by applying to become a Facilitator for the Implicit Bias training sessions that were starting in the Section. As a woman of color in surgery I have a lot of lived experience with bias and wanted to use my experiences to help people see how our differences can be our greatest strengths, especially in surgery where teams of diverse people are the greatest asset for the patients.
I became Faculty Chair of DEI for Surgery in February of 2021. I first became an ODI delegate when I took over as Chair of DEI for the section.
You helped launch the Sustaining Equity, Elevating Diversity in Surgery (SEEDS) initiative late last year. What is SEEDS and how will it help improve equity, diversity, and inclusion within the Section of Surgical Disciplines?
SEEDS is a program created as a longitudinal investment in our faculty, staff, and trainees. Our goal is to ensure the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion are infused into everything we do within the Section.
We want to create and sustain a culture in which all members excel and feel equally seen, heard, and respected.
What do you see as the top challenges and opportunities for SEEDS over the next year?
I’ll start with challenges first. This is a monster of a program that is going to take a lot of time, grit, sweat, and hard work. We have identified a group of incredible people who will be focused on unrolling SEEDS and getting it operational which is the biggest challenge at this point.
As for opportunities, there are so many! Duke Surgery is truly an amazing mix of peoples and talents and highlighting them as well as utilizing them to become more in sync with our patients and our community is one great opportunity. In addition, SEEDS will help us recruit and retain more faculty, staff, and trainees from underrepresented in medicine backgrounds which will help create a richer environment for us all.
Do you have a moment or experience when the need for improving inclusion, equity, and diversity in academic medicine (or the country as a whole) felt especially urgent to you personally that you could share?
Personally, this is the culmination of thousands of microaggressions, and some macroaggressions, over a lifetime. Being seen first as a woman, and a person of color, has made it difficult for some people to see me as a surgeon and an educator. I am doing this work, and will continue to do it until gender, skin color, ethnicity, religion, and all other personal attributes are associated with no stereotype or bias within our Duke Surgery community.
What’s one aspect of SEEDS (or your other EDI-related work) that you’re especially proud of?
I am most proud that SEEDS is looking to the future. This is an optimistic program that is laying the foundation for Duke Surgery to become one of the leaders of DEI nationwide. We want to really examine the justices and injustices of our practices. The list of topics we will cover with SEEDS is broad, and extends from recruitment and retention to childcare and community outreach. We really are setting the bar high and, in the tradition, of Duke Surgery are aiming for excellence and sustainability.
Where can people read more about SEEDS and its work?
Our website is the best place to learn more and get involved.
What passions or hobbies do you have outside of Duke?
I enjoy reading, cooking, and spending time with my family. We love camping, boating, and skiing, as well as travel adventures in non-Covid times. My son seems to have a love affair with every sport possible so now I am also a soccer, tennis, basketball, and baseball Mom!