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Gender Representation in Major Orthopaedic Surgery Meetings: A Quantitative Analysis
Prushoth Vivekanantha1, Andre Dao2, Laurie Hiemstra3
1Michael DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
JB & JS Open Access
|November 3, 2023
Summary
Gender disparity persists in orthopaedic surgery, with male-only panels dominating 58.5% of sessions and women comprising only 12.6% of faculty. Academic qualifications were similar between genders, suggesting a need for targeted strategies to improve female representation in orthopaedic surgery conferences.
Area of Science:
- Orthopaedic Surgery
- Medical Conferences
- Gender Studies
Background:
- Orthopaedic surgery faces significant gender disparity.
- Annual conferences are key indicators of gender representation within the field.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of female speakers and moderators.
- To quantify male-only panel sessions at 10 major orthopaedic surgery meetings.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed conference programs from 10 major orthopaedic surgery meetings in 2021.
- Assessed percentages of female chairs, speakers, and male-only panels.
- Compared academic qualifications (publications, citations, H-indexes) between male and female faculty.
Main Results:
- 58.5% of sessions were male-only panels, with women representing 12.6% of faculty.
- Subspecialties like spine surgery had over 70% male-only panels.
- No significant differences in academic qualifications or session participation were found between genders, indicating no selection bias.
Conclusions:
- High prevalence of male-only panels and underrepresentation of women in orthopaedic surgery conferences.
- Academic qualifications are comparable between genders.
- Strategies like eliminating male-only panels and forming DEI committees are recommended for cultural change.
