Analysis of gender diversity within podiatric surgery fellowship programs

Gender diversity within podiatric surgery fellowship programs remains a critical issue, with women significantly underrepresented in faculty and leadership roles despite increasing enrollment in podiatric medical schools.

To evaluate gender diversity trends among faculty and fellows in recognized podiatric surgery fellowship programs over a five-year period (2020-2025).

Data was collected from the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) directory, including program demographics, faculty composition, and fellowship match outcomes. Gender identification was determined through publicly available online sources.

Descriptive statistics were utilized to summarize demographic variables. Categorical variables were analyzed using Chi-square test of independence. An independent t-test was performed to look at the relationship between gender diversity and time.

A total of 44 programs with 272 listed faculty and 259 fellows were included. Women represented 64 of the 272 listed faculty members and 3 held fellowship director positions. Female fellows increased from 28% in 2020-2021 to 42% in 2024-2025 (p = 0.015). Programs with female faculty had more female fellows (65 vs. 19), though this was not statistically significant (p = 0.197).

Despite progress in trainee representation, the persistent gender gap in faculty and leadership highlights the need for targeted efforts to recruit and promote women in academic and leadership roles. Future research should explore disparities in fellowship application outcomes to better understand gender-specific barriers to advancement in podiatric surgery.