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Professional and Personal Development

(211) Gender Disparities Amongst Surgeon Scientists in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

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

    Presenting Author(s)

  • NK

    Nikitha Kosaraju, BA

    Medical Student
    Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Stanford University
    Los Angeles, California, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • LM

    Lindsay S. Moore, MD

    Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Stanford University, USA

  • Donald P. Keating, III, BS

    Visiting Researcher
    Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Stanford University
    Kansas City, Missouri, United States

  • Grace S. Kim, MD

    Resident Physician
    Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Stanford University
    Stanford, California, USA

    • Senior Author(s)

  • Konstantina M. Stankovic, MD, PhD

    Bertarelli Foundation Professor and Chair, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
    Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Stanford University
    Stanford, CA, USA

Disclosure(s):
Nikitha Kosaraju, BA: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Donald P. Keating, BS, III: No relevant relationships to disclose.


Introduction: Surgeon scientists are vital for advancements in academia, a community known to have gender inequities. Our objectives are to 1) describe the current gender disparities amongst surgeon scientists in Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery (OHNS), 2) compare these gender disparities with those in Neurosurgery (NSGY) and Ophthalmology (OPH), other surgical subspecialties, and 3) call on organizations to establish formal female surgeon scientist mentorship programs.

Methods: The NIH RePORTER was used to obtain the names of K, R, and U grant holders from 2000-2023 in OHNS, NSGY, and OPH. Online faculty profiles were reviewed to identify the sex, a surrogate for gender, and degree of each K grant holder from 2000-2023 and each R/U grant holder from 2015-2023. Surgeon scientists were defined as anyone with an MD, MD/PhD, or DO degree. K to R/U conversion was calculated by identifying whether K grant holders in 2000-2023 also had an R or U grant within those years.

Results: In OHNS, there were 106 surgeon scientist K grant holders in 2000-2023, of which 23 (21.7%) were female. K to R/U conversion was 50.9%, with 30.4% of females and 56.6% of males converting. In NSGY, there were 92, of which 16 (17.4%) were female. K to R/U conversion was 44.6%, with 18.8% of females and 50.0% of males converting. In OPH, there were 217, of which 69 (31.8%) were female. K to R/U conversion was 44.2%, with 34.8% of females and 48.6% of males converting. From 2015-2023, 21 (16.7%) of R/U grant holders were female in OHNS, 27 (13.7%) in NSGY, and 67 (29.8%) in OPH.

Conclusions: Female surgeon scientists in OHNS hold ~20% of the K, R, and U grants and have a lower rate of K to R/U conversion than males. OHNS has greater female grant holder representation than NSGY, but has clear room for improvement, as evidenced by OPH metrics. These results highlight a need for further support for female surgeon scientists to achieve gender equity. Mentorship is a proven, low cost way to promote young surgeon scientists’ careers. We urge the NIH, Academy, and subspecialty societies to establish formal female surgeon scientist mentorship programs with the aim of mentorship evolving to sponsorship.