Diversity efforts in surgery: Are we there yet?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Department Management
• Healthcare Diversity

Background:

• Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are critical for modern healthcare institutions.
• Assessing the current state of DEI in surgical departments is essential for targeted improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify recent diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within US surgical departments.
• To evaluate the representation of various demographic groups in surgery.

Main Methods:

• Survey distributed to Chairs of Surgery at US hospitals.
• Data collected on surgeon demographics (gender, race/ethnicity) and DEI program efforts.
• Response rate of 22.6% from 226 surveys sent.

Main Results:

• Respondents reported 28.2% female surgeons and 24.4% underrepresented in medicine and science (URiM) surgeons.
• No programs reported non-binary surgeons.
• 95.8% of programs reported an increase in female surgeons and 75.5% in URiM surgeons over the last 3 years.
• Program size did not correlate with diversity in gender or race.

Conclusions:

• Recent recruitment is improving surgical department diversity.
• Sustained efforts in faculty retention, equitable promotions, and supportive environments are crucial for advancing DEI in surgery.