Discrepancies in Gender Representation Between Integrated and Independent Plastic Surgery Programs.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Gender Studies in Medicine

Background:

• Female representation in integrated plastic surgery programs is increasing.
• Independent plastic surgery programs show slower improvement in female enrollment.
• Understanding these trends is crucial for workforce diversity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate trends in female representation in integrated versus independent plastic surgery training programs.
• To compare enrollment data between different program types.
• To identify factors influencing female participation in surgical residencies.

Main Methods:

• Utilized self-reported resident data from Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education resources.
• Collected gender data for integrated, independent, and general surgery programs since 2009.
• Employed chi-squared analysis for comparative enrollment assessment, including matriculation-year adjustments for general surgery programs.

Main Results:

• In 2008, female enrollment was similar (23.8% integrated, 23.1% independent).
• By 2012, integrated programs showed significantly higher female enrollment (30.5%) than independent programs (25.1%), a trend that continued.
• General surgery programs consistently had higher female enrollment than independent programs, even with a 5-year matriculation adjustment.

Conclusions:

• Significant disparities exist in female enrollment between integrated and independent plastic surgery programs.
• Integrated programs demonstrate faster growth in female representation.
• Low enrollment in independent programs is not explained by prior general surgery trends, indicating a need for targeted interventions to enhance workforce diversity.