Some very brave scientists spoke out about unpaid positions as a barrier to diversity and inclusion in the field of marine mammal science. I'm here for improving the health of marine mammal science, and all who participate in it. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/i-had-suffer-through-now-you-do-too-claire-simeone/

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When I was working during my post-doctoral training at a specialty practice, we held rounds each morning to transfer cases to the next shift, and talk with our mentoring staff. The overnight veterinarians would list the problems and treatments given over the course of the night.

For the overnight doctors, these rounds were often excruciating. We all routinely worked close to 100 hours per week, and the exhaustion of a long, sleepless night coupled with criticism of our medical choices raised a lot of emotion.

This was around the time that the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education was revising its standards for resident physicians, capping duty hours at 80 per week. The breakneck pace of training negatively affects the health of our trainees and the lives in their care.

An intern-mate of mine brought up these standards during rounds, and asked whether our program would be changing with these guidelines. The internist mentoring us that day said, ‘no. I had to suffer through this, and now you do too’.

I had happened to be the overnight doctor in the hotseat that morning, and I blearily stayed silent. I stayed silent the rest of the year, too.

Fast forward as I now saw, in my career as a marine mammal veterinarian, a recent letter by @eirenkate, @margaretsiple, and @c_malinka, and signed by nearly 700 individuals, to @marinemammalogy that all workers in the field of marine mammal science should be compensated for/

their labor, as unpaid positions are a barrier to a diverse and inclusive field. These scientists were courageous in speaking their truth, and in advocating for those voices that are not a part of the field because of these barriers.

Dr. Eric Archer gave voice to ‘the silent harm experienced by people that we will never hear from’. What fascinated me were the responses to this letter, and how similar they were to words I have heard time and again:

"I volunteered, and if I hadn't, I wouldn't be in the field.

I have mentored numerous students, and they were not exploited.

We want to see everyone paid, but it's not possible.

You should focus on X instead of berating researchers."

What a human response! We all want to be able to look back on our career, on our life, with pride at the things we accomplished and the people whose lives we changed for the better. None of us wants to feel that we made the wrong choices, hurt others, or suffered unnecessarily.

All of the work we do is because we are able to stand on the shoulders of giants. We are always looking for ways to improve the health of the patients in our care, be it human, animal or ecosystem.

When we notice something that impacts that health, we can make a shift towards a healthier way of being. No shame that we didn’t address it, or even see it, before. When we know better, we can do better.

What excited me were the ideas and potential solutions that this letter spurred in my own circles:

Dr. Alex Costidis talked about a collaborative endowment between organizations to broaden the impact of restricted funding. Dr. Lauren Palmer highlighted philanthropy and targeted fundraising to establish more paid positions.

The @womeninmmsci acknowledged that the changes in the status quo will look different in organizations and institutions of different sizes and in different countries, and highlighted the need for collaboration as a community to find these solutions and new ways of working.

I didn’t speak up when I was an intern. Now that I am in a position of more influence and privilege, I see the importance of entering the circle, not to say that I have all of the answers, but to say that I am here for the difficult conversations.

That I respect all of the efforts of those who came before. That I support the voices of those brave enough to speak in the circle as well. And that I focus on shifting my behavior so that the circle widens for those that have not been included.

What is a seismic, radical idea you can bring to the circle? Or, what whispers to you?

Clapping for you, @eirenkate @margaretsiple @c_malinka! @erinashe @amandalbradford @CaraAGallagher @nataliemastick @distantfins @karen_stockin and the 700 others who supported this letter!