Cross-sectional Survey-based Study of Underrepresented Minorities in Urology Academic Leadership Roles

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Medical Leadership
• Health Equity

Background:

• Academic urology leadership positions are crucial for shaping the future of the specialty.
• Understanding the demographic representation within these roles is essential for promoting diversity and inclusion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the current proportion of underrepresented minority (URM) urologists in academic leadership positions within the United States.
• To identify specific subspecialties with a lack of URM representation in leadership.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional observational study surveyed academic urologists in leadership roles in U.S. Urology Residency Programs in 2020.
• Data on administrative position, race, and ethnicity were collected via electronic surveys and analyzed.

Main Results:

• The study surveyed 133 urologists, with African-Americans representing 9.0%, Hispanics 3.8%, and American Indians/Alaska Natives 0.8% of leadership roles.
• African-Americans held 8.5% of department chair positions and 7.4% of program director roles.
• Several subspecialties, including endourology and pediatrics, had no URM urologists in leadership positions.

Conclusions:

• This study is the first to quantify URM representation in academic urology leadership.
• The findings underscore a significant lack of racial diversity in leadership across multiple urology subspecialties.
• Addressing this disparity is vital for understanding and improving racial representation in the field of urology.