Diversity in the Adult and Pediatric Heart Transplant Surgeon Workforce between 2000 and 2020

Abstract

There is a paucity of literature evaluating trends in the demographic composition of the cardiothoracic surgery workforce. Using the United Network for Organ Sharing database, we retrospectively analyzed the changes in sex, race, and ethnicity of surgeons performing heart transplantations between 2000–2020. Surgeons performing heart transplantations for adult (≥18 years) and pediatric (<18 years) patients between 2000–2020 were identified and stratified by sex (male, female) and by race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic Asian, Hispanic of any race). Between 2000–2020, the proportion of non-White and female cardiothoracic surgeons performing adult and pediatric heart transplantations increased. Nevertheless, there remains a lack of diversity in the workforce, particularly when compared to the general United States population.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in Organ Transplantation: An ESOT Survey About EDI Within ESOT as an Organization and its Educational Activities, and Transplantation Research and Science

“…The number of Black transplant surgeons increased from 2% to 5.5%, while the White to Non-White transplant workforce ratio increased by 35%. In the US heart transplant workforce, a small increase in the percentage of Non-White surgeons was seen between 2000 and 2020, where the percentage of Black surgeons changed from 0.7% to 2.0%, Hispanic surgeons from 2.3% to 4.4%, and Asian surgeons from 8.2% to 22.8% [ 6 ]. Failure to adhere to the principles of EDI harms scientists, trainees and patients, and leads to unequal access to leadership, career advancement opportunities and compensation [ 7 , 8 ].…”