Is there gender bias toward male residents in an obstetrics and gynecology training program?

To assess whether male obstetric and gynecologic residents experience gender bias in training for vaginal deliveries.

We compared male and female resident training experiences in vaginal deliveries in a community hospital. Three analyses were performed: (1) total number of deliveries performed by male and female residents, (2) percentage of deliveries that male and female residents performed with female attendings, and (3) percentage of attending deliveries performed by male residents. The main outcome measure was whether male residents had limited training opportunities with female attendings as compared to female residents.

There was no difference between male and female residents with regard to total deliveries performed per rotation. Male residents were as likely as female residents to participate in vaginal deliveries by a female attending. Conversely, female attendings were as likely as male attendings to have a male resident attend their patients' deliveries.

There was no evidence of gender bias regarding male resident training opportunities in vaginal deliveries in an obstetric and gynecologic training program.