From the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University; the Department of Plastic Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals; the Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan; and Washington University School of Medicine.
Plast Reconstr Surg. 2021 Mar 1;147(3):516-526. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000007681.
Women seldom reach the highest leadership positions in academic plastic surgery. Contributing factors include lack of female role models/mentors and lack of gender diversity. Studies show that female role models and mentors are critical for recruiting and retaining female surgeons and that gender diversity within organizations more strongly influences women's career choices. The authors therefore sought to determine the current gender diversity of academic plastic surgery programs and investigate influences of gender and leadership on program gender composition.
A cross-sectional study of U.S. plastic surgery residency programs was performed in December of 2018. Genders of the leadership were collected, including medical school dean, department of surgery chair, department/division of plastic surgery chair/chief, plastic surgery program director, plastic surgery faculty, and plastic surgery residents. Gender relationships among these groups were analyzed.
Ninety-nine residency programs were identified (79 integrated with or without independent and 20 independent). Women represented a smaller proportion of academic plastic surgeons in more senior positions (38 percent residents, 20 percent faculty, 13 percent program directors, and 8 percent chairs). Plastic surgery chair gender was significantly correlated with program director gender, and plastic surgery faculty gender was significantly associated with plastic surgery resident gender. Although not statistically significant, female plastic surgery chair gender was associated with a 45 percent relative increase in female plastic surgery residents.
Women in leadership and gender diversity influence the composition of academic plastic surgery programs. Gender disparity exists at all levels, worsening up the academic ladder. Recruitment, retention, and promotion of women is critical, as such diversity is required for continued progress in innovation and problem-solving within plastic surgery.
女性很少能在学术整形外科学领域担任最高领导职务。造成这一现象的因素包括缺乏女性榜样/导师和性别多样性不足。研究表明，女性榜样和导师对于招聘和留住女性外科医生至关重要，而组织内的性别多样性更强烈地影响着女性的职业选择。因此，作者试图确定学术整形外科学项目目前的性别多样性，并调查性别和领导力对项目性别构成的影响。
对美国整形外科学住院医师培训计划进行了 2018 年 12 月的横断面研究。收集了领导层的性别，包括医学院院长、外科学系主任、整形外科学系/分部主任/首席医师、整形外科学项目主任、整形外科学教师和整形外科学住院医师。分析了这些群体之间的性别关系。
确定了 99 个住院医师培训计划（79 个与独立或不独立相结合，20 个独立）。女性在更高级别的学术整形外科医生中所占比例较小（38%的住院医师、20%的教职员工、13%的项目主任和 8%的主席）。整形外科学主席的性别与项目主任的性别显著相关，而整形外科学教职员工的性别与整形外科学住院医师的性别显著相关。尽管没有统计学意义，但女性整形外科学主席的性别与女性整形外科学住院医师的相对增加 45%相关。
领导层中的女性和性别多样性影响着学术整形外科学项目的构成。各级都存在性别差距，随着学术阶梯的上升而恶化。招聘、保留和提升女性至关重要，因为这种多样性是整形外科学在创新和解决问题方面持续进步所必需的。
