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Professional and Personal Development

(203) Female and Racial Diversity in Otorhinolaryngology: A Nationwide Longitudinal Analysis

Monday, October 2, 2023
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM East Coast USA Time

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Katherine E. Xu, BS

    Medical Student
    Perelman School of Medicine At the University of Pennsylvania
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • KW

    Kimberly Wei, BS

    Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, USA

    • Senior Author(s)

  • Karthik Rajasekaran, MD

    Assistant Professor, Head and Neck Oncologic & Reconstructive Surgeon, Director of QI
    Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Disclosure(s):
Katherine E. Xu, BS: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Karthik Rajasekaran, MD: No relevant relationships to disclose.


Introduction: The field of otolaryngology has historically been slow to diversify. Greater diversity of gender and ethnic identities can contribute to improved patient outcomes. We examine the longitudinal trends of female and underrepresented in medicine (UIM) populations from medical students to faculty.

Methods: Annual data from 2007-2022 was collected from the Association of American Medical Colleges and American College of Graduate Medical Education regarding medical student, residency applicant, resident, and academic faculty demographics. Trends and differences were analyzed using the Cochran Armitage, linear regression, and chi-square testing.

Results: In 2022, 701 (40%) of 1,763 otolaryngology residents were female and 185 (10%) were UIM. Since 2007, female ENT resident representation has increased 13% (p < 0.0001) and UIM has increased 4% (p < 0.0001). Most of the growth in UIM started after 2018. Other surgical fields have a greater proportion of females (46% v. 40%) and UIM (15% v. 10%) than ENT (p < 0.0001). However, growth rates of these populations are not statistically different between ENT and other surgical specialties.

In the past four years, applicants for ENT residency have significantly increased in females but not in UIM applicants (f: 33-44%, p< 0.001; UIM: 16-16%, p = 0.66). Other surgical and nonsurgical residency applicants had significant increases in UIM (surgical: 17%-19%, p< 0.0001; non-surgical: 15-17%, p< 0.0001).

Since 2019, there has been no significant increase in female nor UIM representation in ENT faculty. There is a greater female population in assistant professors (40%) than professors (18%) (p < 0.0001). ENT faculty (f: 35%, UIM: 3%) is statistically less diverse than ENT residents (f: 40%, UIM: 10%), and applicants (44%, UIM: 16%) (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Despite increasing female and UIM medical students, these populations remain underrepresented in residencies and faculty. Other surgical fields have higher proportions of UIM and females.