Voices for change: Celebrating diversity within the AO

Colombian orthopedic and trauma surgeon Claudia Medina wants to make one thing clear: Fostering a diverse and inclusive environment is neither a novelty nor a trend—it’s a global cultural change and a sustainability imperative. Medina, a member of the AO Access Mentorship Task Force, said diversity and inclusion were not commonly discussed among surgeons when she joined AO Access three years ago, and she’s glad to see that changing.

Currently chief scientific officer of Barranquilla, Colombia’s Fundación Campbell—an institution treating 200 fragility hip fractures per year and serving a population of half a million people—Medina described her upbringing and her pathway into medicine.

“I was born in Bogotá and I grew up in a small city, Florencia in southern Colombia. At that time, our country was going through difficult times due to violence; however, I have very nice memories of my childhood in that city,” she said. “I grew up in a very traditional family: father, mother, two brothers, and myself. My parents worked most of the time and often were very busy. Nevertheless, I feel we were truly loved and they were always close to us.”

An affinity for biology and chemistry was a red thread throughout her education; she graduated at 17 years old, determined to become a doctor.

“I admired the work of people in hospital—not just the work of doctors. I think that was my main influence, because there were no doctors in my family and I didn’t have any doctors close by. Since I was young, my parents asked me a lot whether I was sure that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” Medina said. “It’s funny because my dad is an accountant, but he told me to think carefully because the life of a doctor is very busy with a lot of work; he suggested that I think about studying something else. However, my parents saw how determined I was and supported me unconditionally. And then I moved to Bogotá to study at medical school.”

‘A specialty for men’

‘First, the patients’

“What keeps me moving forward in this career are, first, the patients—to offer them the best care, we must continue learning—and second, the students; I really like education and it is very gratifying to be able to positively influence their professional and personal lives in some way,” Medina said, noting that her own desire to keep moving is another factor. “The work evolves very quickly; there is so much to do and learn. It’s hard for me to remain static, without doing something else or learning something new.”

Medina has had a few important role models and mentors in her life. Among these inspirations are her parents, who taught her that anything is possible, and AO Past President and AO Access Steering Committee member Jaime Quintero.

“[Jaime Quintero] has inspired me to always give my best as a surgeon and as a person, and to understand that life is a permanent learning process, that leadership is to be of service to other people, and [to] learn to enjoy seeing others grow,” said Medina.

With that appreciation for mentor-mentee relationships, Medina answered the AO Access open call for task force applicants in 2020. Once elected, she and her fellow tasks force members began working hand in hand with Senior Program Manager Diversity, Inclusion and Mentorship Tatjana Topalovic to advance the AO in terms of diversity, inclusion, and mentorship.

“I thought diversity and inclusion were present in all human interaction [but they] were not common topics of discussion in our day-to-day lives as surgeons,” she said.

‘This is not a fad’

“I think the main challenge is to become aware of the cultural change that has been taking place in the world for several years and which must be implemented in our organization—not as a novelty nor to meet quotas,” she emphasized. “The culture change is richest when we find a natural balance that includes underrepresented groups without it being an obligation or a matter of quotas, or simply to show members of underrepresented groups on social media. The other challenge is sustainability, because this is not a fad; it is not a temporary wave. It is the way the world is evolving.