How Do Academic Medicine Pathways Differ for Underrepresented Trainees and Physicians? A Critical Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Equity
• Workforce Diversity

Background:

• Academic medicine struggles with recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce.
• Underrepresented in medicine (URiM) physicians are disproportionately affected by career progression barriers.
• The

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically analyze literature on the structural barriers contributing to inequitable career pathways for URiM physicians in academic medicine.
• To identify factors influencing attrition, recruitment, and retention within academic medical careers for URiM individuals.
• To understand the concept of

Main Methods:

• A critical scoping review methodology was employed.
• A comprehensive search strategy identified literature on academic medicine, underrepresented groups, and career attrition.
• Data extraction focused on themes of attrition, recruitment, and retention, analyzed through a critical lens.

Main Results:

• URiM faculty experience lower promotion rates, even with comparable scholarly output.
• Hostile work environments significantly contribute to attrition among URiM physicians.
• Effective recruitment and retention strategies necessitate multi-pronged approaches tailored to each career stage.

Conclusions:

• The literature highlights numerous