Gender Differences in Academic Productivity Among Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeons

Existing literature lacks clarity on how geography may affect gender disparities among pediatric orthopaedic surgeons. This study compares the academic productivity of pediatric orthopaedic attendings based on their sex and region.

Faculty lists from the 45 Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America fellowship programs were accessed in February 2024. Data on sex, training history, fellowship director status, institution, publication counts, and H-indices were collected from program websites and Scopus. The attending publication rate was calculated by dividing the total number of publications completed as an attending by the number of years in practice. Results were displayed using (mean ± SD). Categorical variables were analyzed using Pearson chi square. Mann-Whitney U and one-way analysis of variance were used for nonparametric and parametric data, respectively. Analyses were done using GraphPad Prism 10, with significance set at P < 0.05.

Four hundred one pediatric orthopaedic surgeons (302 male, 99 female) from 45 fellowship programs were analyzed. Female surgeons had fewer publications, lower H-indices, and lower publication rates than male surgeons. In the Northeast, male attendings had higher publication counts, rates, and H-indices. Men also had higher H-indices than women in the Midwest and Southwest. Among male pediatric orthopaedic attendings, those in the Northeast exhibited the highest publication counts, rates, and H-indices. However, no regional differences were observed among female pediatric orthopaedic surgeons.

Notable gender disparities persist among pediatric orthopaedic surgeons in the United States, reflecting systemic barriers that limit women's research opportunities. Male faculty outnumber female faculty across fellowship programs and have higher publication counts, rates, and H-indices. Regional differences were most notable in the Northeast, where male attendings had markedly higher publication counts, rates, and H-indices. H-index disparities were also present in the Midwest and Southwest. Targeted strategies are needed to improve research access and support for women trainees and faculty.