Leadership trends in academic pediatric departments

To examine recent turnover trends among chairs of academic pediatric departments.

Membership data for the 150 institutions represented by the Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico were reviewed for the time period of 1993-2003.

From 1993 to 2003, 278 individuals (250 men and 28 women) held the position of chair. The mean time of service was 5.58 +/- 3.2 years (median: 5 years). Twenty-nine individuals served continuously as chairs during the 11-year period. Seventy-two individuals served as interim chairs. Twenty-eight women were appointed either chairs or interim chairs during the 11 years. The number of female chairs decreased from 13 in 1993 to 11 in 2003. Female chairs were in office 3.42 +/- 2.72 years. A total of 123 departments had a change in leadership, with a mean annual turnover rate of 17% (range: 4.6-24%). Three departments had 5 different leaders as either interim chair or chair and 6 departments had 4 different leaders during this time period. Neonatology was the most common subspecialty represented by recent pediatric chairs, although nephrology was the subspecialty with the greatest proportional representation.

Departments of pediatrics have high turnover of leadership. Women, in particular, serve for relatively short periods and appear to be under-represented within the leadership of pediatrics. Efforts should be made to ascertain personal qualities that allow sustained leadership and to attract more women into leadership positions.