Gender distribution in United States anaesthesiology residency programme directors: trends and implications

Abstract

The under-representation of women in academic leadership roles, including in anaesthesiology, is a well-documented phenomenon that has persisted for decades despite more women attending medical school, participating in anaesthesiology residencies, and joining academic faculties. The percentage of female anaesthesiologists who hold senior academic ranks or leadership roles, such as chair, lags behind the percentage of female anaesthesiologists overall. Trends towards increasing the numbers of women serving in educational leadership roles, specifically residency programme directors, suggest that there are areas in which academic anaesthesiology has been, and can continue, improving gender imbalance. Continued institutional efforts to recruit women into anaesthesiology, reduce gender bias, and promote interventions that foster gender equity in hiring and promotion will continue to benefit women, academic anaesthesiology departments, and the healthcare system overall.

Burnout from Gender Inequity in a Pandemic

“…Women are 33% of anesthesiology residents, 25% of the overall anesthesiology workforce, and 37% of the academic anesthesiology workforce. 1 , 2 , 3 These numbers have remained relatively consistent since 2006. 3 …”

The Effects of Coronavirus Disease 2019 on Pediatric Anesthesiologists: A Survey of the Members of the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia

“…Although the proportion of female attending anesthesiologists in private and academic practices has been steadily increasing over the past 2 decades, at higher levels of leadership, gender disparity remains a persistent and pervasive problem. 17,18,25,26 Women now make up >50% of all medical school matriculants and are the majority of pediatric anesthesiology fellows. 17,18,25,26 In fact, women now make up the majority (56.4%) of the younger pediatric anesthesiology workforce (<35 years old) in the United States.…”

Diversity Practices for Hiring the New Graduate Nurse

“…2 A diverse workforce promotes varying viewpoints, experiences, and ideas that contribute to the overall flexibility and resiliency of an institution. 2,3 A diverse nursing workforce with cultural competence supports quality patient care. 4 According to a survey conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and the forum of state nursing workforce centers, nurses from minority backgrounds represent only 19.5% of the registered nurse (RN) workforce.…”