Female department chairs and diversity among general surgery applicants and entering residents

Academic surgical department chairs play a critical role in guiding the missions of their departments. One understudied aspect of chairs' influence is their effect on trainee recruitment and diversity. This study explores whether the appointment of female surgical chairs is associated with an increase in the proportion of female and underrepresented-in-medicine applicants and entrants to academic general surgery residency programs.

Academic programs in which a female chair was appointed to replace a male chair were identified. Male-led programs were identified and matched 2:1 to each female-led program based on similar geographic location and time span. Data on applicant and entrant demographics for all included programs was obtained from the Association of American Medical Colleges. A difference-in-difference analysis of applicants and entrants was performed comparing female and underrepresented-in-medicine proportions between the pre-chair appointment and post-appointment years.

No significant changes were found in the proportions of female or underrepresented-in-medicine applicants/entrants following the appointment of a female chair.

Our study found that the appointment of new female chairs is not associated with the gender or racial/ethnic composition of residency applicants/entrants in the immediate post-appointment period. This indicates that increasing diversity among surgical trainees likely relies on the combined efforts of multiple department leaders and faculty members, as well as broader advocacy and outreach efforts in the surgical community.