Female Faculty Representation in Anesthesiology: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Analysis.

INTRODUCTION

The presence of female faculty members in anesthesia residency programs is pivotal for enhancing and supporting diversity and gender equity in medical education. This study probes the intricate interplay between the percentage of female faculty and whether program type and geographical location impact the composition of female faculty.

METHODS

For this retrospective cross-sectional analysis, we collected data from the Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database Access (FREIDA) system to assess the percentages of female faculty in anesthesia residency programs. Stratification was based on program type: university-based, community-based/university-affiliated, and community-based. Regions were categorized using the Association of American Medical College (AAMC) geographical signaling divisions. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to gauge geographic variation in female faculty percentages across program types.

RESULTS

Data on the percentage of female faculty were available for 89 programs. Among these, the average percentage of female faculty positions was 34%, ranging from 14% to 59%. Importantly, our analysis found no statistically significant differences in the distribution of female faculty positions based on program type or geographical location (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study reveals that the percentage of female faculty in anesthesia residency programs remains consistent regardless of program type or geographical location. These findings advance our understanding of gender dynamics within anesthesia residency faculties and underscore the need to explore additional factors influencing gender representation in medical education.