A Call for an Inclusive Path Forward: Developing a Roadmap for Diversity and Equity for Field Epidemiologists

Originating in 1951 in the United States with a cohort of male physicians, field epidemiology training programs (FETPs) now support workforce development in more than 200 countries and territories, with graduates of diverse genders and professional backgrounds. In 2018 a group of leading field epidemiologists identified avenues to modernize the field, published in <i>The Path Forward: The Global Field Epidemiology Roadmap</i>. The roadmap lacked intersection with contemporary concerns, including diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Mirroring global health workforce trends that see women overrepresented at the frontline and underrepresented across leadership, a review of the processes to develop The <i>Path Forward</i> highlights inequities across field epidemiology leadership. With the nascent <i>Global Field Epidemiology Partnership</i> publishing a strategic plan acknowledging DEI, we provide recommendations to understand the modern population of field epidemiologists, create space for untraditional voices, and diversify leadership.