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Assessing Gender Differences in Technical Skills and Confidence in Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Applicants
Jona Kerluku1, Lauren Wessel, Daphne Ling
1From the Department of Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY (Ms. Kerluku and Dr. Fufa); the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA (Dr. Wessel); the Department of Orthopedics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan (Dr. Ling); the Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY (Dr. Ling); the HSS Research Institute, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY (Dr. Ling); the HSS Research Institute, Biostatistics Core, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY (Mr. Nguyen); the Department of Academic Training, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY (Dr. Felix); and the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sports Medicine, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY (Dr. Sutton).
This study found no gender differences in technical skills or confidence among orthopedic residency applicants. Female students showed a trend towards lower self-reported confidence post-task, suggesting potential differences may emerge during training.
Area of Science:
- Orthopaedic Surgery
- Medical Education
- Surgical Skills Training
Background:
- Previous studies indicate gender-based variations in procedural skill confidence among surgical trainees.
- This research addresses the specific context of orthopaedic surgery residency applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential gender-based disparities in technical proficiency and self-reported confidence among medical students applying for orthopaedic residency.
- To compare male and female applicants' performance on a standardized suturing task and their confidence levels.
Main Methods:
- Prospective evaluation of medical students interviewing for orthopaedic residency from 2017-2020.
- Objective assessment of technical skill via faculty-graded suturing task performance.
- Self-reported confidence measured pre- and post-task, with comparisons based on demographics and academic metrics.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant gender differences were found in technical skill scores for the suturing task.
- Mean changes in self-reported confidence from pre- to post-task were similar between male and female applicants.
- Female students exhibited a non-significant trend towards lower post-task confidence compared to male students.
Conclusions:
- No gender-based differences in technical skill or confidence were observed in orthopaedic surgery residency applicants.
- A trend of lower self-reported confidence in female applicants warrants further investigation, potentially indicating confidence development during residency.
- Findings suggest that differences in skill and confidence may emerge or be influenced during the residency training period.
