Gender diversity in United States neurosurgery training programs

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Katelyn Donaldson ◽  
Katherine E. Callahan ◽  
Aaron Gelinne ◽  
Wyll Everett ◽  
S. Elizabeth Ames ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Training Programs ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Academic Rank ◽  
Female Faculty ◽  
Leadership Positions ◽  
Gender Distribution ◽  
Medical Specialties ◽  
Residency Programs ◽  
Neurological Surgery ◽  
Academic Year

OBJECTIVENeurosurgery continues to be one of the medical specialties with the lowest representation of females in both the resident and faculty workforce. Currently, there are limited available data on the gender distribution of faculty and residents in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)–accredited neurosurgery training programs. This information is critical to accurately measure the results of any effort to improve both the recruitment and retention of women in neurosurgery. The objective of the current study was to define the current gender distribution of faculty and residents in ACGME-accredited neurosurgery training programs.METHODSData publicly available through institutional and supplemental websites for neurosurgical faculty and residents at ACGME-accredited programs were analyzed for the 2017–2018 academic year. Data collected for faculty included gender, age, year of residency graduation, academic rank, h-index, American Board of Neurological Surgery certification status, and leadership positions. Resident data included gender and postgraduate year of training.RESULTSAmong the 109 ACGME-accredited neurosurgical residency programs included in this study, there were 1350 residents in training, of whom 18.2% were female and 81.8% were male. There are 1320 faculty, of whom 8.7% were female and 91.3% were male. Fifty-eight programs (53.2%) had both female faculty and residents, 35 programs (32.1%) had female residents and no female faculty, 4 programs (3.7%) had female faculty and no female residents, and 6 programs (5.5%) lacked both female residents and faculty. Six programs (5.5%) had incomplete data. Female faculty were younger, had lower h-indices, and were less likely to be board certified and attain positions of higher academic rank and leadership.CONCLUSIONSThis study serves to provide a current snapshot of gender diversity in ACGME-accredited neurosurgery training programs. While there are still fewer female neurosurgeons achieving positions of higher academic rank and serving in leadership positions than male neurosurgeons, the authors’ findings suggest that this is likely due to the small number of women in the neurosurgical field who are the farthest away from residency graduation and serves to highlight the significant progress that has been made toward achieving greater gender diversity in the neurosurgical workforce.

Use of the h index in neurosurgery

2009 ◽  
Vol 111 (2) ◽  
pp. 387-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet Lee ◽  
Kristin L. Kraus ◽  
William T. Couldwell
Keyword(s):  
Objective Measure ◽  
Academic Rank ◽  
Academic Productivity ◽  
Medical Specialties ◽  
Academic Advancement ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Citation Statistics ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
Neurological Surgery

Object Assessing academic productivity through simple quantification may overlook key information, and the use of statistical enumeration of academic output is growing. The h index, which incorporates both the total number of publications and the citations of those publications, has been recently proposed as an objective measure of academic productivity. The authors used several tools to calculate the h index for academic neurosurgeons to provide a basis for evaluating publishing by physicians. Methods The h index of randomly selected academic neurosurgeons from a sample of one-third of the academic programs in the US was calculated using data from Google Scholar and from the Scopus database. The mean h index for each academic rank was determined. The h indices were also correlated with various other factors (such as time spent practicing neurosurgery, authorship position) to identify how these factors influenced the h index. The h indices were then compared with other citation statistics to evaluate the robustness of this metric. Finally, h indices were also calculated for a sampling of physicians in other medical specialties for comparison. Results As expected, the h index increased with academic rank and there was a statistically significant difference between each rank. A weighting based on position of authorship did not affect h indices. The h index was positively correlated with time since American Board of Neurological Surgery certification, and it was also correlated with other citation metrics. A comparison among medical specialties supports the assertion that h index values may not be comparable between fields, even closely related specialties. Conclusions The h index appears to be a robust statistic for comparing academic output of neurosurgeons. Within the field of academic neurosurgery, clear differences of h indices between academic ranks exist. On average, an increase of the h index by 5 appears to correspond to the next highest academic rank, with the exception of chairperson. The h index can be used as a tool, along with other evaluations, to evaluate an individual's productivity in the academic advancement process within the field of neurosurgery but should not be used for comparisons across medical specialties.

Positive trends in neurosurgery enrollment and attrition: analysis of the 2000–2009 female neurosurgery resident cohort

2016 ◽  
Vol 124 (3) ◽  
pp. 834-839 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaclyn J. Renfrow ◽  
Analiz Rodriguez ◽  
Ann Liu ◽  
Julie G. Pilitsis ◽  
Uzma Samadani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Career Paths ◽  
Primary Outcome ◽  
American Association ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Attrition Rate ◽  
Attrition Rates ◽  
Residency Programs ◽  
Neurological Surgery ◽  
Attrition Analysis

OBJECT Women compose a minority of neurosurgery residents, averaging just over 10% of matched applicants per year during this decade. A recent review by Lynch et al. raises the concern that women may be at a higher risk than men for attrition, based on analysis of a cohort matched between 1990 and 1999. This manuscript aims to characterize the trends in enrollment, attrition, and postattrition careers for women who matched in neurosurgery between 2000 and 2009. METHODS Databases from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS) were analyzed for all residents who matched into neurosurgery during the years 2000–2009. Residents were sorted by female gender, matched against graduation records, and if graduation was not reported from neurosurgery residency programs, an Internet search was used to determine the residents’ alternative path. The primary outcome was to determine the number of women residents who did not complete neurosurgery training programs during 2000–2009. Secondary outcomes included the total number of women who matched into neurosurgery per year, year in training in which attrition occurred, and alternative career paths that these women chose to pursue. RESULTS Women comprised 240 of 1992 (12%) matched neurosurgery residents during 2000–2009. Among female residents there was a 17% attrition rate, compared with a 5.3% male attrition rate, with an overall attrition rate of 6.7%. The majority who left the field did so within the first 3 years of neurosurgical training and stayed in medicine—pursuing anesthesia, neurology, and radiology. CONCLUSIONS Although the percentage of women entering neurosurgical residency has continued to increase, this number is still disproportionate to the overall number of women in medicine. The female attrition rate in neurosurgery in the 2000–2009 cohort is comparable to that of the other surgical specialties, but for neurosurgery, there is disparity between the male and female attrition rates. Women who left the field tended to stay within medicine and usually pursued a neuroscience-related career. Given the need for talented women to pursue neurosurgery and the increasing numbers of women matching annually, the recruitment and retention of women in neurosurgery should be benchmarked and assessed.

The future of neurosurgery: a white paper on the recruitment and retention of women in neurosurgery

2008 ◽  
Vol 109 (3) ◽  
pp. 378-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
_ _ ◽  
Deborah L. Benzil ◽  
Aviva Abosch ◽  
Isabelle Germano ◽  
Holly Gilmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Academic Medicine ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
White Paper ◽  
Leadership Positions ◽  
Gender Inequity ◽  
The Us ◽  
Neurological Surgery

Preface The leadership of Women in Neurosurgery (WINS) has been asked by the Board of Directors of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) to compose a white paper on the recruitment and retention of female neurosurgical residents and practitioners. Introduction Neurosurgery must attract the best and the brightest. Women now constitute a larger percentage of medical school classes than men, representing approximately 60% of each graduating medical school class. Neurosurgery is facing a potential crisis in the US workforce pipeline, with the number of neurosurgeons in the US (per capita) decreasing. Women in the Neurosurgery Workforce The number of women entering neurosurgery training programs and the number of board-certified female neurosurgeons is not increasing. Personal anecdotes demonstrating gender inequity abound among female neurosurgeons at every level of training and career development. Gender inequity exists in neurosurgery training programs, in the neurosurgery workplace, and within organized neurosurgery. Obstacles The consistently low numbers of women in neurosurgery training programs and in the workplace results in a dearth of female role models for the mentoring of residents and junior faculty/practitioners. This lack of guidance contributes to perpetuation of barriers to women considering careers in neurosurgery, and to the lack of professional advancement experienced by women already in the field. There is ample evidence that mentors and role models play a critical role in the training and retention of women faculty within academic medicine. The absence of a critical mass of female neurosurgeons in academic medicine may serve as a deterrent to female medical students deciding whether or not to pursue careers in neurosurgery. There is limited exposure to neurosurgery during medical school. Medical students have concerns regarding gender inequities (acceptance into residency, salaries, promotion, and achieving leadership positions). Gender inequity in academic medicine is not unique to neurosurgery; nonetheless, promotion to full professor, to neurosurgery department chair, or to a national leadership position is exceedingly rare within neurosurgery. Bright, competent, committed female neurosurgeons exist in the workforce, yet they are not being promoted in numbers comparable to their male counterparts. No female neurosurgeon has ever been president of the AANS, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, or Society of Neurological Surgeons (SNS), or chair of the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS). No female neurosurgeon has even been on the ABNS or the Neurological Surgery Residency Review Committee and, until this year, no more than 2 women have simultaneously been members of the SNS. Gender inequity serves as a barrier to the advancement of women within both academic and community-based neurosurgery. Strategic Approach to Address Issues Identified. To overcome the issues identified above, the authors recommend that the AANS join WINS in implementing a strategic plan, as follows: 1) Characterize the barriers. 2) Identify and eliminate discriminatory practices in the recruitment of medical students, in the training of residents, and in the hiring and advancement of neurosurgeons. 3) Promote women into leadership positions within organized neurosurgery. 4) Foster the development of female neurosurgeon role models by the training and promotion of competent, enthusiastic, female trainees and surgeons.

scholarly journals Gender imbalance amongst promotion and leadership in academic surgical programs in Canada: A cross-sectional Investigation

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0256742
Author(s):  
Jennifer Hunter ◽  
Helen Crofts ◽  
Alysha Keehn ◽  
Sofie Schlagintweit ◽  
Jessica G. Y. Luc ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Gender Representation ◽  
Leadership Roles ◽  
Leadership Positions ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Academic Promotion ◽  
Women Surgeons ◽  
Faculty Appointment ◽  
Lower Likelihood ◽  
Academic Year

Background Women are underrepresented at higher levels of promotion or leadership despite the increasing number of women physicians. In surgery, this has been compounded by historical underrepresentation. With a nation-wide focus on the importance of diversity, our aim was to provide a current snapshot of gender representation in Canadian universities. Methods This cross-sectional online website review assessed the current faculty listings for 17 university-affiliated academic surgical training departments across Canada in the 2019/2020 academic year. Gender diversity of academic surgical faculty was assessed across surgical disciplines. Additionally, gender diversity in career advancement, as described by published leadership roles, promotion and faculty appointment, was analyzed. Results Women surgeons are underrepresented across Canadian surgical specialties (totals: 2,689 men versus 531 women). There are significant differences in the gender representation of surgeons between specialties and between universities, regardless of specialty. Women surgeons had a much lower likelihood of being at the highest levels of promotion (OR: 0.269, 95% CI: 0.179–0.405). Men surgeons were statistically more likely to hold academic leadership positions than women (p = 0.0002). Women surgeons had a much lower likelihood of being at the highest levels of leadership (OR: 0.372, 95% CI: 0.216–0.641). Discussion This study demonstrates that women surgeons are significantly underrepresented at the highest levels of academic promotion and leadership in Canada. Our findings allow for a direct comparison between Canadian surgical subspecialties and universities. Individual institutions can use these data to critically appraise diversity policies already in place, assess their workforce and apply a metric from which change can be measured.

The Beginning of the End

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parisa Khoshpouri ◽  
Rayeheh Bahar ◽  
Pegah Khoshpouri ◽  
Amitis Ebrahimi ◽  
Omid Ghahramani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Research Productivity ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Academic Rank ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Leadership Positions ◽  
H Index ◽  
Residency Programs ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Male Faculty

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between gender, research productivity, academic rank, and departmental leadership positions of pathology faculty in North America. Methods The online information presented for the faculty members in all American- and Canadian-accredited pathology residency programs’ official websites and Elsevier’s SCOPUS were queried to assess research productivity, academic ranks, and leadership positions. Results Among 5,228 academic pathologists included in our study, there were 3,122 (59.7%) males and 2,106 (40.3%) females. Male faculty held higher academic ranks (being professor) and leadership positions (chair/program director) (P < .0001). Males were more likely to hold combined MD-PhD degrees (P < .0001) than females. The median h-index for the male faculty was 17 vs 9 for the female faculty (P = .023). Conclusions Gender has a significant influence on leadership positions, academic ranks, and research productivity among pathology faculty members in North America.

scholarly journals Characteristics of Designated Institutional Officials and Sponsoring Institutions of ACGME-Accredited Training Programs

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-75
Author(s):  
Ryan S. D'Souza ◽  
Brendan Langford ◽  
Shawn D'Souza ◽  
Steven Rose ◽  
Timothy Long
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Graduate Medical Education ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Academic Rank ◽  
Leadership Positions ◽  
Accreditation Council ◽  
Graduate Medical ◽  
Education Community ◽  
Status Number

ABSTRACT Background Since the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) established the designated institutional official (DIO) role in 1998, there have been major changes in sponsoring institutions (SIs) and DIO responsibilities. Yet there remains a large gap in our knowledge regarding baseline SI and DIO characteristics as well as a need for institutions wanting to increase diversity in the DIO role and other leadership positions within the medical education community. Objective We sought to characterize demographics of DIOs and the SIs they oversee. Methods We identified SIs and DIOs on the ACGME website on February 15, 2020. Reviewed data included SI accreditation status, number of programs and resident/fellow positions, and DIO characteristics. Results We identified 831 SIs. SIs with continued accreditation sponsored more programs (median 4.0) than SIs with initial accreditation (median 1.0, P < .001). DIO age ranged from 29–81 years (median 57 years). Two-hundred eighty-three of 831 (34%) DIOs were women. Of 576 DIOs with known academic rank, 356 (62%) DIOs held senior academic rank. A higher proportion of male DIOs had senior academic rank (68% vs 52%; OR 1.90 [95% CI 1.34–2.70]; P < .001) and professor rank (39% vs 24%; OR 2.01 [95% CI 1.38–2.94]; P < .001) compared to female DIOs. Female gender was associated with a greater number of ACGME-accredited programs and filled resident/fellow positions per SI (P < .001 for both). Conclusions This study describes characteristics of DIOs and SIs and offers insights for those pursuing a DIO position.

scholarly journals 1113. A Novel Means of Acquiring High Quality Feedback for Training Programs –The Program Director Ombudsperson

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S587-S587
Author(s):  
David J Riedel ◽  
Rana Malek
Keyword(s):  
Training Programs ◽  
Evaluation Process ◽  
Program Director ◽  
Additional Time ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Constructive Feedback ◽  
Quality Feedback ◽  
Program Leadership ◽  
Constructive Criticism ◽  
Academic Year

Abstract Background Trainees may not always be comfortable providing frank feedback or constructive criticism to their Program Director (PD) due to fears of negative repercussions. PDs likewise may lack the means to obtain high quality feedback from trainees, particularly among smaller training programs, e.g. fellowships. An ombudsperson is defined as an independent appointee whose task is to investigate and attempt to resolve complaints and problems. Methods The PDs from Infectious Disease (ID) and Endocrinology fellowships partnered to meet with fellows from the opposite program. Meetings were held with fellows in December and June of the academic year. Each PD started their meeting with 2 questions on a 1-10 scale: How do you rate the fellowship program? How do you rate the job the PD and program leadership are doing? Additional questions covered the fellow evaluation process, faculty feedback, education vs. service balance, and gaps in training. Additional time was allotted for fellow-raised concerns. Meeting notes were summarized anonymously and returned to the PD of the other program. Fellows were asked to complete a brief questionnaire about their experience. Results A total of 15 fellows completed the survey (6 Endocrinology, 9 ID; Table). All 15 fellows agreed that the goal of the ombudsperson review meeting (i.e. to address fellow concerns in a more confidential setting) was achieved and were comfortable sharing concerns and feedback to the ombudsperson. The majority of fellows (53%) was more comfortable sharing concerns regarding the fellowship to the ombudsperson than directly to the PD. Thirteen (87%) agreed that concerns raised during the first ombudsperson meeting were addressed by the Program in subsequent months. All fellows (100%) found it helpful that the ombudsperson was another PD and recommended that the ombudsperson review meetings should continue in the fellowship. Table. Characteristics of participants and outcomes of questions about fellowship ombudsperson program Conclusion The fellowship PD ombudsperson meeting is a novel means for soliciting constructive feedback from trainees at small training programs. Fellows were comfortable with the ombudsperson arrangement, felt the meetings achieved their goal, and recommended that the meetings continue in the future. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

scholarly journals Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) medical students – an examination of their journey and experiences as medical students in limbo

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Gillezeau ◽  
Wil Lieberman-Cribbin ◽  
Kristin Bevilacqua ◽  
Julio Ramos ◽  
Naomi Alpert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
First Year ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Student Sample ◽  
Medical Specialties ◽  
Residency Programs ◽  
Deferred Action ◽  
The Status ◽  
Depth Interviews

Abstract Background Although the value of DACA medical students has been hypothesized, no data are available on their contribution to US healthcare. While the exact number of DACA recipients in medical school is unknown, DACA medical students are projected to represent an increasing proportion of physicians in the future. The current literature on DACA students has not analyzed the experiences of these students. Methods A mixed-methods study on the career intentions and experiences of DACA medical students was performed utilizing survey data and in-depth interviews. The academic performance of a convenience sample of DACA medical students was compared to that of matriculated medical students from corresponding medical schools, national averages, and first-year residents according to specialty. Results Thirty-three DACA medical students completed the survey and five participated in a qualitative interview. The average undergraduate GPA (SD) of the DACA medical student sample was 3.7 (0.3), the same as the national GPA of 2017–2018 matriculated medical students. The most common intended residency programs were Internal Medicine (27.2%), Emergency Medicine (15.2%), and Family Medicine (9.1%). In interviews, DACA students discussed their motivation for pursuing medicine, barriers and facilitators that they faced in attending medical school, their experiences as medical students, and their future plans. Conclusions The intent of this sample to pursue medical specialties in which there is a growing need further exemplifies the unique value of these students. It is vital to protect the status of DACA recipients and realize the contributions that DACA physicians provide to US healthcare.

scholarly journals Osteopathic students and graduates matching into pathology residency, 2011–2020

2021 ◽  
Vol 121 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-156
Author(s):  
Ryan Philip Jajosky ◽  
Hannah C. Coulson ◽  
Abric J. Rosengrant ◽  
Audrey N. Jajosky ◽  
Philip G. Jajosky
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Medical Education ◽  
Accreditation System ◽  
Senior Year ◽  
Medical Specialties ◽  
Residency Programs ◽  
The Third ◽  
The Past ◽  
Residency Match

Abstract Context In the past decade, two changes have affected the pathology residency match. First, the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Match, which did not offer pathology residency, became accredited under a single graduate medical education (GME) system with the Main Residency Match (MRM), which offers pathology residency. Second, substantially fewer United States senior-year allopathic medical students (US MD seniors) matched into pathology residency. Objective To determine whether there were major changes in the number and percentage of osteopathic students and physicians (DOs) matching into pathology residency programs over the past decade. Methods Pathology match outcomes for DOs from 2011 to 2020 were obtained by reviewing AOA Match data from the National Matching Services and MRM data from the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). The number of DOs that filled pathology positions in the MRM was divided by the total number of pathology positions filled in the MRM to calculate the percentage of pathology positions taken by DOs. Results Over the past decade, there was a 109% increase in the total number of DOs matching into pathology residency (34 in 2011 vs. 71 in 2020). During this time, there was a 23.3% increase in the total number of pathology positions filled in the MRM (476 in 2011 vs. 587 in 2020). Thus, the percentage of pathology residency positions filled by DOs increased from 7.1% in 2011 to 12.1% in 2020. The substantial increase of DOs in pathology occurred simultaneously with a 94.2% increase in the total number of DOs filling AOA/MRM “postgraduate year 1” (PGY-1) positions (3201 in 2011 vs. 6215 in 2020). Thus, the percentage of DOs choosing pathology residency has remained steady (1.06% in 2011 and 1.14% in 2020). In 2020, pathology had the third lowest percentage of filled PGY-1 residency positions taken by DOs, out of 15 major medical specialties. Conclusion The proportion of DOs choosing pathology residency was stable from 2011 to 2020 despite the move to a single GME accreditation system and the stark decline in US MD seniors choosing pathology. In 2020, a slightly higher percentage of DOs (1.14%) chose pathology residency than US MD seniors (1.13%). Overall, DOs more often choose other medical specialties, including primary care. Additional studies are needed to determine why fewer US MD seniors, but not fewer DOs, are choosing pathology residency.

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