Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statements and Initiatives on US Residency Program Websites: A Cross-Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Neurosurgery Workforce Development
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Background:

• DEI is increasingly critical in academic neurosurgery and recruitment.
• Neurosurgery residency program (NRP) websites are a key platform for showcasing DEI efforts.
• Assessing DEI statements and initiatives on NRP websites provides an objective measure of institutional commitment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the presence and scope of DEI statements and initiatives on US neurosurgery residency program websites.
• To establish a benchmark for DEI representation within neurosurgery training programs.
• To identify areas for improvement in DEI communication and strategy.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of US neurosurgery residency program websites.
• Inclusion/exclusion criteria applied to website selection.
• Analysis of website content for DEI statements, dedicated language, demographic mentions (gender, race, ethnicity, LGBTQ+, disability, minority status), and financial support for students.

Main Results:

• Only 32% of 110 eligible NRP websites mentioned DEI; 22% had a specific diversity statement.
• Demographic mentions varied: gender (54%), race (46%), ethnicity (33%), disability (21%), sexual orientation (33%), LGBTQ+ (8%), minority status (8%).
• Few programs offered financial support for visiting students (7.2%), and none for interviews, despite DEI goals.

Conclusions:

• NRP websites show considerable variation in DEI statement depth and specificity.
• Current DEI representation on websites serves as a tangible metric but highlights a need for standardization.
• Improving DEI initiatives and their online representation is crucial for diversifying the future neurosurgery workforce.