Women in academic cardiothoracic surgery earn 80% to 87% of the salary men with equal academic rank earn, according to a study published Dec. 2 in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
Using Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and Association of American Medical Colleges data, researchers from academic institutions across the U.S. analyzed the influence gender, race and ethnicity have on representation and salary of academic cardiothoracic surgeons.
Here are four notes from the study:
- Among cardiothoracic trainees, 8% were Asian, 2% were Black or African American and 1.5% were Hispanic or Latina women.
- Among cardiothoracic faculty, 3.4% were Asian, 0.8% were Black or African American and 0.4% were Hispanic or Latina women.
- Factoring in race and ethnicity, white assistant professors earned more than their clinical faculty and cardiothoracic surgeon colleagues. When factoring in gender in addition to race and ethnicity, the difference was "further compounded," the researchers wrote.
- Based on their findings, the researchers concluded that while disparities were noted at the intersection of gender, race and ethnicity, gender was the main driver for salary inequity among academic cardiothoracic surgeons.
Read the full study here.