Advancing Inclusive Excellence in Pediatric Surgery: A National Longitudinal Mentorship Program

jpedsurg.org

The Alliance of Pediatric Surgeons Growing and Advancing Representation (APGAR) was created to systematically expand mentorship and sponsorship for learners historically underrepresented in pediatric surgery. We implemented a structured, multi-tiered mentorship model that includes participants from high school through attending pediatric surgeons. We report the conceptual framework, development, and implementation of APGAR’s pilot programming, participants’ perspectives, and short-term impact.

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Article · May 2025 · 1 min read

In brief

APGAR is a national mentorship initiative designed to increase diversity in pediatric surgery by providing structured support for underrepresented learners across all career stages, from high school to attending surgeon. This article describes the program's framework, implementation strategy, and early outcomes from pilot participants.

APGAR creates a multi-tiered mentorship pipeline spanning high school to attending surgeon level for underrepresented learners.
Structured sponsorship and mentorship can systematically address diversity gaps in pediatric surgery training pathways.
Early-career engagement (high school onward) is critical for building a diverse pediatric surgery workforce.
National longitudinal mentorship programs require intentional framework design to sustain participant engagement and measure impact.

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