Is a Medical Degree Associated With Faculty Leadership Position Attainment in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery...

The decision to obtain double-degree versus single-degree training in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) has been a widely debated topic in the United States over the past several decades. The purpose of this study is to determine if OMS faculty holding leadership positions (ie, program directors and chairs/chiefs) are more likely to be single-degree trained versus double-degree trained.

The authors designed a cross-sectional observational study to address the research purpose. The primary predictor variable was faculty leadership education (single-degree trained vs double-degree trained). The secondary predictor variable was accredited OMS program type led by the faculty with leadership positions (double-degree, both single-degree and double-degree, single-degree, or military program). The primary outcome variable was faculty leadership position (program director or chair/chief). Sums and percentages were calculated and Chi-squared (χ²) tests were used to compare the faculty leadership education with faculty leadership positions for each group. P values less than .05 were considered statistically significant.

The study sample was composed of 198 subjects, of which 99 subjects were identified as program directors and 99 subjects were identified as chairs/chiefs. There was no statistically significant difference between the proportions of program directors and chairs/chiefs who were single-degree trained versus double-degree trained when looking at all accredited OMS programs in the United States (52.5% vs 47.5%, P = .615 and 56.6% vs 43.4%, P = .191, respectively). However, program directors of double-degree programs were statistically significantly more likely to be double-degree trained than single-degree trained (77.1% vs 22.9%, P = .001) and program directors and chairs/chiefs of single-degree programs were statistically significantly more likely to be single-degree trained than double-degree trained (67.4% vs 32.6%, P = .022 and 65.1% vs 34.9%, P = .047, respectively).

Overall, no statistically significant difference exists between the proportions of program directors and chairs/chiefs that were single-degree trained versus double-degree trained at accredited OMS programs. However, when stratifying programs by program type, program directors of double-degree programs were statistically significantly more likely to be double-degree trained and program directors and chairs/chiefs of single-degree programs were statistically significantly more likely to be single-degree trained.