Kanu Okike1, Donna P Phillips2, Eric Swart3, Mary I O'Connor4. 1. Department of Orthopaedics, Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii. 2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital, New York, NY. 3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, Massachusetts. 4. Center for Musculoskeletal Care, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The representation of women in orthopaedics in the United States remains among the lowest in all fields of medicine, and prior research has suggested that this underrepresentation may stem from lower levels of interest among female medical students. Of the many proposed reasons for this lack of interest, the male-dominated nature of the field is one of the most commonly cited. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which the representation of women among orthopaedic faculty and residents influences female medical students at that institution to apply for a residency in orthopaedics. METHODS: Using data provided by the Association of American Medical Colleges, we identified all U.S. medical schools that were affiliated with an orthopaedic surgery department and an orthopaedic surgery residency program (n = 107). For each institution, data on the representation of women among the orthopaedic faculty and residents from 2014 through 2016 were collected, as well as data on the proportion of female medical school graduates who applied to an orthopaedic residency program from 2015 through 2017. The association between institutional factors and the female medical student orthopaedic application rate was assessed. RESULTS: Of 22,707 women who graduated from medical school during the 3-year study period, 449 (1.98%) applied to an orthopaedic surgery residency program. Women who attended medical school at institutions with high orthopaedic faculty sex diversity were more likely to apply for a residency in orthopaedics (odds ratio [OR], 1.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04 to 1.64; p = 0.023), as were women who attended medical school at institutions with high orthopaedic resident sex diversity (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.61; p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found that increased sex diversity among orthopaedic faculty and residents was associated with a greater likelihood that female medical students at that institution would apply for an orthopaedic residency. These results suggest that at least some of the factors currently impeding female medical student interest in orthopaedics may be modifiable. These findings may have important implications for efforts to improve the sex diversity of the field of orthopaedics going forward.
BACKGROUND: The representation of women in orthopaedics in the United States remains among the lowest in all fields of medicine, and prior research has suggested that this underrepresentation may stem from lower levels of interest among female medical students. Of the many proposed reasons for this lack of interest, the male-dominated nature of the field is one of the most commonly cited. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which the representation of women among orthopaedic faculty and residents influences female medical students at that institution to apply for a residency in orthopaedics. METHODS: Using data provided by the Association of American Medical Colleges, we identified all U.S. medical schools that were affiliated with an orthopaedic surgery department and an orthopaedic surgery residency program (n = 107). For each institution, data on the representation of women among the orthopaedic faculty and residents from 2014 through 2016 were collected, as well as data on the proportion of female medical school graduates who applied to an orthopaedic residency program from 2015 through 2017. The association between institutional factors and the female medical student orthopaedic application rate was assessed. RESULTS: Of 22,707 women who graduated from medical school during the 3-year study period, 449 (1.98%) applied to an orthopaedic surgery residency program. Women who attended medical school at institutions with high orthopaedic faculty sex diversity were more likely to apply for a residency in orthopaedics (odds ratio [OR], 1.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04 to 1.64; p = 0.023), as were women who attended medical school at institutions with high orthopaedic resident sex diversity (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.61; p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found that increased sex diversity among orthopaedic faculty and residents was associated with a greater likelihood that female medical students at that institution would apply for an orthopaedic residency. These results suggest that at least some of the factors currently impeding female medical student interest in orthopaedics may be modifiable. These findings may have important implications for efforts to improve the sex diversity of the field of orthopaedics going forward.
Authors: Andrew S Bi; Nina D Fisher; Nikolas Bletnitsky; Naina Rao; Kenneth A Egol; Mara Karamitopoulos Journal: Clin Orthop Relat Res Date: 2022-01-01 Impact factor: 4.755
Authors: Alexander J Acuña; Eleanor H Sato; Tarun K Jella; Linsen T Samuel; Stacy H Jeong; Antonia F Chen; Atul F Kamath Journal: Clin Orthop Relat Res Date: 2021-06-01 Impact factor: 4.755
Authors: Jennifer Hunter; Helen Crofts; Alysha Keehn; Sofie Schlagintweit; Jessica G Y Luc; Kelly A Lefaivre Journal: PLoS One Date: 2021-08-26 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Benjamin Kuhns; Brittany E Haws; Shannon Kaupp; Michael D Maloney; Emily E Carmody; Sandeep Mannava Journal: J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev Date: 2022-02-03
Authors: Anthony J Wiggins; Obiajulu Agha; Agustin Diaz; Kristofer J Jones; Brian T Feeley; Nirav K Pandya Journal: Orthop J Sports Med Date: 2021-10-12
Authors: Jeannette E South-Paul; Kendall M Campbell; Norma Poll-Hunter; Audrey J Murrell Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-05-05 Impact factor: 3.390