Status of women in academic anesthesiology

The authors compared anesthesia faculties with the rest of medical school faculties at each of four academic ranks and found a significant difference in proportion of men and women anesthesia faculty members at the assistant professor rank only (P less than 0.001). When the faculty status of women and men academic anesthesiologists was examined a significant difference was found in rank distribution in age groups 40 to 44 (P less than 0.005) and 45 to 49 (P less than 0.001), where there was a deficit of professors and a surfeit of instructors among women. Significant differences in distribution continued at age 50-54 (P less than 0.01), 55-59 (P less than 0.001), and 60-64 (P less than 0.005), primarily at professor and assistant professor ranks. In addition, there was significantly lower prevalence of board certification (P less than 0.001) and level of responsibilities for women (P less than 0.001). There was no significant difference in tenure status.