How can surgery be made more inclusive for people from all backgrounds?

Inclusion is providing opportunities for individuals who are often marginalised. The importance of diversity and inclusivity is becoming increasingly recognised in healthcare. However, surgical specialties have made the least progress in the representation of minority groups. The surgical workforce is still ingrained with social prejudices, limiting access to individuals from different ethnicities, sexual orientations, socioeconomic backgrounds, religions and disabilities. Addressing inclusivity in surgery is not only a moral obligation but it also has the potential to improve quality of patient care. Numerous studies have shown greater patient satisfaction when seeking medical attention from physicians with racial concordance. With a diversifying patient population, we are at risk of providing suboptimal patient care. In order to ensure equity in surgical training, we must understand that everyone has different individual needs, with some acquiring additional support, from the recruitment stage through to applying for higher surgical training.