A recent study found only 8.9% of surgical leaders were part of an underrepresented racial group and only 16.2% were women.
The study, published Oct. 11 in JAMA Surgery, analyzed demographic data from 2,165 faculty members at 165 surgical departments from January to July 2022.
Men held more leadership positions than women, with 85.9% of chairs, 68.4% of vice chairs and 87.1% of department chairs held by men.
Members of racial minority groups were most commonly vice chairs of diversity, equity and inclusion (51.6%) or faculty development (17.9%). DEI vice chairs were more likely to be women (64.5%). Minority racial groups had the most representation in transplant surgery (13.8%) and the least in oral and maxillofacial surgery (5%).
No American Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander individuals were identified in any surgical leadership positions.
"While it is unclear whether promotion from VC to chair or from DC to chair is more likely, these findings of similar gender distribution between chairs and DCs suggest the latter and may partially explain persistent nondiversity among surgical chairs," the authors wrote.