Statement on Racism

The Surgical Infection Society is a group of physicians and scientists with a focused interest in infections.  Our Society, and it’s mission, was forged by leveraging scientific methods to discover new knowledge.  Abundant mentorship and merit-based leadership supported advancement within the organization’s structure. However, these foundational activities did not proceed in a way that embraced diversity.  The events of the last several months affecting black and brown Americans have crystallized the need to improve the diversity of our organization, and consequently, our science.  These reflections must now lead to change.

Today, we, the members of the SIS, commit to educating ourselves and taking proactive steps to prevent any future explicit or implicit racism in our own society.

The mission of the Surgical Infection Society is to educate health care clinicians, scientists, as well as the public about infections in surgical patients.  Our Society’s goal is to improve how we prevent and manage surgical infections.  We are committed to achieving those goals while promoting diversity and inclusion at every level of the SIS spanning membership, to committee volunteers, to leadership.  Increasing the SIS’s diversity will strengthen our Society, our healthcare community, and our mission so that we may better care for patients.