The Reality of Representation: Diversity Among Moderators at a National Cardiothoracic Surgery Meeting

The cardiothoracic surgery workforce remains underrepresented in racial and ethnic diversity. Achieving greater representation at national levels is vital for signaling inclusivity and encouraging aspiring trainees. We aimed to characterize the diversity of individuals selected as moderators in the setting of a national cardiothoracic surgical meeting.

Program records from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Annual Meetings (2015-2024) were reviewed. Moderators selected by the STS program taskforce were identified, and their perceived race/ethnicity was assessed by 5 independent reviewers. Trends in racial and ethnic distribution were analyzed using a multinomial logistic regression model.

From 2015-2024, 450 moderators were identified. Of these, 319 (70.9%) were perceived as White/Caucasian, 17 (3.8%) as Black/African American/Afro Caribbean, 104 (23.1%) as Asian/South Asian/West Asian, and 10 (2.2%) as Hispanic/Latino. The likelihood of a moderator being Black increased significantly over time (11.4% per year, P = .033). No significant changes were observed for other groups. The proportion of Hispanic/Latino moderators remained below 5%, with no notable trend.

Despite an encouraging increase in Black moderators, overall diversity among moderators remains limited, with White/Caucasian individuals overwhelmingly represented and Hispanic/Latino individuals severely underrepresented. Increasing diversity at academic meetings is essential to fostering inclusivity, inspiring future cardiothoracic surgeons, and ultimately improving patient care through a more representative workforce.