Diversity in Leadership at Musculoskeletal Oncology Fellowships in the United States

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Musculoskeletal Oncology
• Medical Education
• Research Leadership

Background:

• Musculoskeletal Oncology Fellowship Directors (MOFDs) significantly influence cancer treatment through education and research.
• Key characteristics of MOFDs, including demographics, training, research output, and funding, are not well-documented.
• Understanding these characteristics is crucial for identifying leadership trends and promoting diversity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the demographics, training, research activity, and grant funding of Musculoskeletal Oncology Fellowship Directors.
• To identify factors associated with higher research productivity (h-index) among MOFDs.
• To assess the representation of women and racial minorities in MOFD positions.

Main Methods:

• Compiled a list of Musculoskeletal Oncology Fellowship programs from professional organizations.
• Collected bibliometric data (h-index, publications) via Scopus.
• Gathered demographic, training, and grant information from academic websites.
• Analyzed data using t-tests, presenting results as means ± SD.

Main Results:

• The average MOFD was 41±9 years old, 80% male, and 85% Caucasian.
• The mean h-index was 23±15, with a positive correlation between age and h-index (r=0.398, p=0.082).
• Only 20% of MOFDs had National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants; sex, race, advanced degrees, and NIH funding did not correlate with higher h-index. Full professors had higher h-indices than assistant/associate professors (p=0.014).

Conclusions:

• Women and racial minorities are underrepresented in Musculoskeletal Oncology Fellowship Director roles.
• This study establishes a benchmark for leadership positions within orthopedic surgery.
• Findings can inform strategies to promote diversity and equitable representation in academic orthopedic surgery.