One recent study predicted, based on the current pace of women entering the orthopedic surgical profession, that it would take 217 years to reach gender parity1.
In light of that depressing conclusion, a group of researchers from the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University in New York decided to look back see if recent increases in female medical school applicants was an anomaly or, perhaps, the sign of a trend toward more gender equity and…a conclusion that the pace to gender equity is actually faster than expected.
The results of this study, “Exponential Growth in Female Residency Applicants in Orthopaedic Surgery Over the Past 15 Years,” was published in the May 30, 2023, edition of JBJS Open Access.
“So much effort has gone into improving the gender diversity in orthopaedic surgery,” said co-author Randy Cohn, M.D. to OTW. Dr. Cohn, an associate professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell in Garden City, New York, “This past year we saw the highest number ever of female applicants. We wanted to look back and see if this increase was in isolation or the continuation of a trend over the last several years.”
The research team used 15 years of data from ERAS (electronic residency application service) and the Association of American Medical Colleges. According to Dr. Cohn, “Providing us with 15 years of data allowed us to really show the improvements that have been made and also track the potential future trajectory.”
After analyzing the data, the research team found that percent of female applicants applying to become orthopedic surgeons had increased from 11.8% in 2007 to 23.0% in 2022. Between 2007 and 2022, the number of female applicants rose for nine consecutive years. In four of those years, according to the researchers, the increases were statistically significant (2008, 2014, 2019, and 2022).
“The percentage of female applicants in orthopaedic surgery has more than doubled over the last 15 years. While orthopedic surgery is still the least gender diverse field of medicine, significant strides have been made. As our manuscript highlights, if these trends hold, we can expect to see continued increases in female applicants, residents and attending surgeons.”
Dr. Cohn also explained to OTW the key challenges inherent in such a study. “The first challenge in doing this study was acquiring past data on female applicants. Once we had the data, the main challenge was in how to present the data. We were encouraged by the recent increase in female applicants (following an exponential growth curve) but also wanted to emphasize that we aren’t done improving the gender diversity in our field.”
“It is great to see increased interest in applying to orthopaedic surgery but this needs to be followed into residency, practice, and leadership roles. Continued mentorship and sponsorship are needed to ensure that these female applicants have every opportunity to succeed as residents and beyond.”
Other authors on this work: Camille Pinpin, BS, Peter B. White, D.O., M.S., Kate W. Nellans, M.D., F.A.O.A., Adam D. Bitterman, D.O., and Mary K. Mulcahey, M.D., F.A.O.A.
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I am for all the gender parity programs for orthopedics. But the endpoint should be questioned…
There are some jobs females as a group inherently do not want to do as much as other jobs. Such as mining, construction, garbage collection, equipment operators, etc.
Orthopaedic surgery is physically demanding and mentally demanding with long hours. This may not be a popular job as some other jobs for females.
There are differences in physical abilities and actual preferences in females vs males.
The endpoint should be adjusted accordingly, although we are short of any endpoint at the pressent time.
Seriously? Jeff, you need to get out more. Women orthopedic surgeons are among the top key opinion leaders in all of musculoskeletal (also known as ‘orthopedics’) care. And when I say, Key Opinion Leaders, I’m referring to the surgeons who train other surgeons — at the top academic centers (Harvard and Wash U in St. Louis come immediately to mind). The issue is not the physicality of orthopedic surgery, it’s the intelligence, care, precision and training each surgeon brings to their patients. At the moment, orthopedics is dominated by men — but that is changing and, as this story makes clear, at slower pace than one might have expected given the success of existing women orthopedic surgeons. Robin Young